CVE-2024-55009 in Bibliographic Collection Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 03/19/2025
A reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in AutoBib - Bibliographic collection management system 3.1.140 and earlier allows attackers to execute arbitrary Javascript in the context of a victim's browser via injecting a crafted payload into the WCE=topFrame&WCU= parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2025
This reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability exists within the AutoBib bibliographic collection management system version 3.1.140 and earlier releases. The flaw specifically manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input passed through the WCE=topFrame&WCU= parameter in HTTP requests. This parameter appears to control frame rendering or user interface elements within the application's web interface, making it a prime target for malicious input injection. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which represents one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious URLs containing JavaScript payloads within the specified parameter, which are then reflected back to victims who click on the poisoned links. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious script is not stored on the server but rather injected into the application's response by the web server itself, making it particularly challenging to detect and prevent through traditional server-side validation alone.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims, and potentially escalate privileges within the application. When a victim's browser processes the malicious payload, the JavaScript code executes in the context of the victim's session, potentially allowing attackers to access the victim's bibliographic data, modify records, or even gain administrative access depending on the application's permission model. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the bibliographic management system, which typically handles sensitive academic and research data, making the potential impact on data integrity and confidentiality particularly severe. This type of attack aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically targeting JavaScript execution within web browsers. The attack chain would typically involve the attacker crafting a malicious URL with the XSS payload, delivering it through phishing emails, social engineering, or compromised websites, and waiting for a victim with valid session cookies to click the link.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term prevention measures. The most effective immediate fix involves implementing proper input sanitization and output encoding for all parameters, particularly those used in UI rendering contexts like the WCE=topFrame&WCU= parameter. The application should escape special characters and validate input against a strict whitelist of acceptable values before processing or reflecting any user-supplied data back to the browser. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Organizations should also consider implementing proper session management controls, including secure cookie attributes, session timeout mechanisms, and regular session invalidation practices. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding as fundamental security controls, aligning with the OWASP Top Ten security principles and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. Regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parameters and components of the AutoBib system. The vulnerability also highlights the necessity of keeping software components up-to-date, as this issue was present in versions up to 3.1.140, indicating that newer releases may have implemented proper security controls to prevent such injection attacks.