CVE-2025-0513 in Octopus Server
Summary
by MITRE • 02/11/2025
In affected versions of Octopus Server error messages were handled unsafely on the error page. If an adversary could control any part of the error message they could embed code which may impact the user viewing the error message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-0513 resides within Octopus Server's error handling mechanism, specifically affecting how the system processes and displays error messages on its error pages. This security flaw represents a classic server-side vulnerability that could potentially enable code injection attacks when improperly handled error content is rendered to end users. The issue manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-controllable data that appears within error messages, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary code that executes in the context of the victim's browser.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which describes Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) flaws occurring when user-provided data is incorporated into web pages without proper sanitization or escaping mechanisms. The attack vector leverages the unsafe handling of error messages where any portion of the error content that originates from user input or external sources becomes a potential injection point. When adversaries can control elements within error messages, they can embed malicious scripts that execute in the browser context of users viewing these error pages, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the victim's browser environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates persistent attack surfaces that can be exploited across multiple user sessions. The risk is particularly elevated in environments where Octopus Server processes user inputs or external data sources that may contain malicious content, as error messages generated from such inputs could contain embedded payloads. Attackers could craft specific inputs that when processed by the server generate error messages containing malicious JavaScript code, which would then execute in the browsers of users who encounter these error pages. This scenario aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes social engineering tactics involving the delivery of malicious code through deceptive means, specifically targeting the user interaction component of the attack chain.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms throughout the error handling process. The primary defense involves ensuring that all user-controllable data incorporated into error messages undergoes proper HTML entity encoding or sanitization before rendering. Organizations should implement strict content security policies that prevent execution of inline scripts and establish robust error handling procedures that do not expose raw user inputs or system information in error displays. Additionally, regular security testing including penetration testing and code reviews should validate that error messages properly handle all potential input sources, with particular attention to data that originates from external systems or user submissions. The implementation of automated security scanning tools that can detect unsafe error message handling patterns should also be considered as part of a comprehensive security posture to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future releases.