CVE-2025-5015 in Parsons Utility Enterprise Data Management
Summary
by MITRE • 06/25/2025
A cross-site scripting vulnerability exists in the AccuWeather and Custom RSS widget that allows an unauthenticated user to replace the RSS feed URL with a malicious one.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/26/2025
This cross-site scripting vulnerability resides within the AccuWeather and Custom RSS widget functionality, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of web applications. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the widget's RSS feed URL handling process. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious URLs that, when processed by the widget, execute unintended JavaScript code within the context of authenticated users' browsers. The flaw specifically affects the widget's ability to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it as part of the web page's dynamic content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows an unauthenticated attacker to manipulate the RSS feed URL parameter through direct input manipulation or by leveraging existing attack vectors such as reflected or stored XSS. When the malicious URL is processed, the application fails to properly escape or validate the input, enabling the execution of arbitrary script code in the victim's browser context. This type of vulnerability typically occurs when web applications incorporate user-provided data directly into HTML output without proper sanitization measures, creating an environment where malicious payloads can be executed with the privileges of the affected user.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can lead to complete session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized access to sensitive user data. An attacker could potentially redirect users to malicious websites, inject phishing content, or even modify the widget's functionality to serve malicious content. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal prerequisites since no authentication is needed, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users interact with the affected application. This flaw can be leveraged to perform various malicious activities including data exfiltration, account takeovers, and establishing persistent backdoors within the application environment.
Security professionals should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to address this vulnerability, following established security frameworks such as the CWE-79 category for cross-site scripting flaws. The mitigation strategy should include proper sanitization of all user inputs, implementation of Content Security Policy headers, and regular security testing to identify similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments and T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage, highlighting the need for layered security approaches. The remediation process must involve thorough code review of all input handling mechanisms, implementation of proper context-aware encoding, and regular security training for development teams to prevent similar issues in future releases.