CVE-2022-4513 in eionet.contreg
Summary
by MITRE • 12/15/2022
A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, has been found in European Environment Agency eionet.contreg. This issue affects some unknown processing. The manipulation of the argument searchTag/resourceUri leads to cross site scripting. The attack may be initiated remotely. Upgrading to version 2022-06-27T0948 is able to address this issue. The name of the patch is a120c2153e263e62c4db34a06ab96a9f1c6bccb6. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component. The identifier VDB-215885 was assigned to this vulnerability.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/13/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-4513 represents a cross-site scripting vulnerability within the European Environment Agency's eionet.contreg application, specifically affecting the processing of searchTag and resourceUri arguments. This classification places the issue within the scope of CWE-79, which details cross-site scripting flaws that occur when untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or sanitization. The vulnerability exists in the application's handling of user-supplied input parameters, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical flaw manifests when the application fails to adequately sanitize or validate input received through the searchTag and resourceUri parameters. This processing pathway enables attackers to craft malicious payloads that can be executed in the context of a victim's browser session. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that threat actors can initiate attacks without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in web-facing applications. The XSS vulnerability specifically allows for session hijacking, credential theft, and potential redirection to malicious sites, all of which fall under the ATT&CK technique T1539 for credentials in files and T1566 for phishing with malicious attachments or links.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable attackers to manipulate the application's functionality and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive environmental data managed by the European Environment Agency. The affected component's role in processing search queries and resource references means that successful exploitation could allow attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist across multiple user sessions. This persistent nature of the vulnerability increases the potential attack surface and makes it particularly challenging to monitor and detect. Organizations relying on this application for environmental data management face significant risks, as the vulnerability could compromise the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive environmental information.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment to version 2022-06-27T0948, which incorporates the fix identified by the patch identifier a120c2153e263e62c4db34a06ab96a9f1c6bccb6. This upgrade addresses the core input validation issues that allow the XSS attack vectors to succeed. Additionally, implementing comprehensive input sanitization measures, including the use of Content Security Policy headers, output encoding for all dynamic content, and regular security testing of input parameters, would provide layered protection against similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability's classification as a remote exploit further emphasizes the need for network-level security controls and monitoring for suspicious traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit this vulnerability.