CVE-2022-42001 in BlueSpice
Summary
by MITRE • 11/15/2022
Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in BlueSpiceBookshelf extension of BlueSpice allows user with regular account and edit permissions to inject arbitrary HTML into the book navigation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/18/2022
The CVE-2022-42001 vulnerability represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the BlueSpiceBookshelf extension of the BlueSpice MediaWiki platform. This security weakness specifically affects systems where the BlueSpiceBookshelf extension is installed and enabled, creating an avenue for malicious actors to exploit user permissions and inject harmful HTML content into book navigation elements. The vulnerability manifests when users with standard accounts and edit privileges attempt to manipulate bookshelf data, which then gets rendered without proper sanitization, allowing arbitrary script execution in the context of other users' browsers.
This XSS vulnerability operates through the manipulation of book navigation components within the BlueSpiceBookshelf extension. When users with edit permissions create or modify book entries, the system fails to adequately sanitize user-provided input before rendering it in the navigation interface. The flaw enables attackers to inject malicious HTML tags, JavaScript code, or other potentially harmful content that gets executed when other users view the affected book navigation elements. The attack vector leverages the extension's handling of user-generated content in book metadata, specifically targeting the navigation rendering process where the malicious input is processed without sufficient validation or sanitization measures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple content manipulation, as it creates potential for session hijacking, credential theft, and further exploitation within the affected MediaWiki environment. An attacker with regular user accounts and edit permissions can craft malicious book entries that, when viewed by other users, execute scripts in their browsers to steal cookies, session tokens, or redirect them to phishing sites. The vulnerability's scope is particularly concerning in collaborative environments where multiple users interact with bookshelf content, as it allows for persistent XSS attacks that can affect numerous users over time, potentially compromising the entire wiki platform's security posture.
The technical flaw aligns with CWE-79, which defines Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities as weaknesses that occur when an application includes untrusted data in a new web page without proper validation or escaping, or when it reuses a plain text data stream in a context that requires proper escaping. This vulnerability specifically demonstrates the failure to implement proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms within the BlueSpiceBookshelf extension's book navigation rendering process. The attack follows patterns consistent with ATT&CK technique T1531, which involves using malicious content to gain access to user sessions through web-based attacks that exploit vulnerabilities in web applications.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of the BlueSpiceBookshelf extension to address the XSS vulnerability through proper input validation and output encoding. Organizations should implement comprehensive content sanitization measures that filter and escape all user-provided input before rendering it in navigation elements, ensuring that HTML tags and JavaScript code are properly neutralized. Additional protective measures include implementing content security policies that restrict script execution within the wiki environment, establishing stricter access controls for bookshelf modifications, and conducting regular security audits of MediaWiki extensions to identify similar vulnerabilities. Network-based solutions such as web application firewalls should also be deployed to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit this vulnerability, while user education regarding suspicious content in book navigation elements can help reduce successful exploitation attempts.