CVE-2023-49779 in GROWI
Summary
by MITRE • 12/26/2023
Stored cross-site scripting vulnerability exists in the anchor tag of GROWI versions prior to v6.0.0. If this vulnerability is exploited, an arbitrary script may be executed on the web browser of the user who accessed the site using the product.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/19/2024
The stored cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-49779 affects GROWI versions prior to v6.0.0 and represents a critical security flaw in the web application's handling of user input within anchor tags. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-000079 category, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting attacks where malicious scripts are injected into web applications and executed in the context of other users' browsers. The flaw manifests when user-supplied data containing malicious script code is stored within the application's database and subsequently rendered in anchor tags without proper sanitization or encoding mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the GROWI platform's content rendering pipeline where anchor tags are processed and displayed to end users. When an attacker crafts malicious input containing script code within anchor tag attributes or content, the application fails to properly sanitize this data before storing it in the database. Upon subsequent access by legitimate users who view pages containing these stored malicious anchor tags, the embedded scripts execute within the victim's browser context, potentially compromising user sessions and enabling further exploitation. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payload persists in the application's database and affects multiple users over time rather than requiring continuous exploitation attempts.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-49779 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user credentials, manipulate application functionality, and potentially escalate privileges within the GROWI environment. The vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1531 which involves the use of malicious scripts to gain unauthorized access to systems. Attackers could leverage this flaw to create persistent backdoors, redirect users to malicious sites, or harvest session tokens and other sensitive information from authenticated users. The stored nature of the vulnerability also means that even users who do not actively interact with the malicious content may be compromised when their browsers render pages containing the stored scripts, making this particularly dangerous in collaborative environments where multiple users access shared content.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-49779 should prioritize immediate patching to GROWI v6.0.0 or later versions where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive content security policies that include proper validation of all user-supplied input, particularly within HTML attributes and content areas where anchor tags are processed. The implementation of proper HTML escaping and sanitization libraries should be enforced at all input points where user data is processed, with additional validation layers to prevent script injection attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls with rules specifically designed to detect and block known XSS attack patterns, while conducting regular security audits of stored data to identify and remediate any existing malicious content. Additionally, user education regarding the risks of clicking on suspicious links and the importance of keeping software updated remains crucial in defending against exploitation attempts.