CVE-2023-25840 in ArcGIS Server
Summary
by MITRE • 07/21/2023
There is a Cross-site Scripting vulnerability in ArcGIS Server in versions 10.8.1 – 11.1 that may allow a remote, authenticated attacker to create a crafted link which onmouseover wont execute but could potentially render an image in the victims browser. The privileges required to execute this attack are high.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/24/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-25840 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within ArcGIS Server affecting versions 10.8.1 through 11.1. This security weakness resides in the server's handling of user input and rendering processes, specifically when processing crafted links that contain malicious script content. The vulnerability requires a high level of privileges for exploitation, indicating that attackers must first establish authenticated access to the system before attempting to leverage this flaw. The attack vector involves creating malicious links that, when processed by the server, could potentially execute in a victim's browser context. This particular variant demonstrates the sophisticated nature of modern web application vulnerabilities where attackers must navigate through authentication barriers before deploying payload delivery mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within ArcGIS Server's web interface components. When users interact with specially crafted links containing malicious content, the server fails to properly sanitize or escape the input before rendering it in the browser context. This allows attackers to inject script code that could execute in the victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, data exfiltration, or further exploitation of the compromised system. The vulnerability specifically manifests when processing mouseover events, suggesting that the flaw exists in how the application handles dynamic content rendering and event binding within its user interface components. The requirement for high privileges indicates that this vulnerability likely resides in administrative or privileged user functionality rather than general public-facing interfaces.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-25840 extends beyond simple script execution, as it creates potential pathways for more sophisticated attacks within the ArcGIS ecosystem. An authenticated attacker with sufficient privileges could potentially manipulate the server's rendering behavior to execute arbitrary code in victim browsers, leading to unauthorized access to geospatial data, system compromise, or disruption of critical mapping services. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions of ArcGIS Server indicates a widespread exposure across organizations relying on these platforms for critical infrastructure mapping, emergency response, and geographic information services. Organizations using ArcGIS Server for sensitive applications face increased risk of data breaches or service disruption if this vulnerability remains unpatched, particularly given the high privilege requirements that suggest attackers may have already compromised administrative accounts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-25840 should prioritize immediate patch application from Esri, as this represents a critical security flaw requiring vendor-provided fixes. Organizations must implement strict access controls and privilege management to minimize the attack surface, ensuring that only authorized personnel have administrative access to ArcGIS Server installations. Network segmentation and monitoring of administrative access logs should be enhanced to detect suspicious activities that may indicate exploitation attempts. Input validation should be strengthened at all levels of the application stack, with particular attention to how dynamic content and user-generated links are processed. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 - Cross-site Scripting, which categorizes this as a code injection flaw that allows attackers to execute scripts in the victim's browser context. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence through web application exploitation, potentially enabling adversaries to maintain access to critical geographic information systems. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be implemented to identify similar weaknesses in the broader ArcGIS deployment environment, including related components such as ArcGIS Web Adaptor and associated database systems.