CVE-2023-30949 in Foundry Slate
Summary
by MITRE • 07/26/2023
A missing origin validation in Slate sandbox could be exploited by a malicious user to modify the page's content, which could lead to phishing attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-30949 represents a critical security flaw within the Slate content management system that stems from inadequate origin validation mechanisms within its sandbox environment. This weakness manifests as a failure to properly verify the source of content modifications, creating an exploitable condition that allows attackers to bypass intended security boundaries. The issue specifically affects the sandbox isolation controls that are designed to prevent unauthorized modifications to web page content, thereby undermining the fundamental security model that protects user data and application integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability lies in the missing validation checks that should occur when processing content modifications within the Slate sandbox. When a malicious actor crafts a specially crafted request or content payload, the system fails to properly authenticate the originating source, allowing unauthorized modifications to be accepted and executed. This flaw operates at the intersection of web application security and sandboxing principles, where proper origin validation should serve as a critical gatekeeping mechanism. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which addresses improper input validation, and represents a specific implementation gap in the security controls that should prevent cross-origin resource manipulation.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-30949 extends beyond simple content modification capabilities, as it creates a vector for sophisticated phishing attacks that can compromise user trust and system integrity. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to inject malicious content that appears legitimate to end users, potentially leading to credential theft, data exfiltration, or further exploitation of the compromised system. The sandbox environment that should provide isolation and protection becomes a point of weakness, allowing attackers to manipulate the application state in ways that were not intended. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under TA0001 (Initial Access) and TA0002 (Execution) phases, where attackers can establish footholds through content injection mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address the core issue of origin validation within the Slate sandbox environment. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation controls that verify the authenticity of content sources before accepting any modifications. The solution requires strengthening the sandbox isolation mechanisms to enforce strict origin checking and implementing proper authentication controls for all content modification requests. Security teams should also consider deploying additional monitoring controls to detect anomalous content modification patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include thorough code reviews of the sandbox implementation, implementation of proper CORS policies, and establishment of robust logging mechanisms to track all content modification activities. Organizations using Slate or similar systems should prioritize patching and ensure that all instances of the vulnerable software are updated to versions that properly address the origin validation gap, as this vulnerability represents a significant risk to application security and user data protection.