CVE-2025-68385 in Kibana
Summary
by MITRE • 12/19/2025
Improper neutralization of input during web page generation ('Cross-site Scripting') (CWE-79) allows an authenticated user to embed a malicious script in content that will be served to web browsers causing cross-site scripting (XSS) (CAPEC-63) via a method in Vega bypassing a previous Vega XSS mitigation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/24/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the Vega data visualization library that affects web applications leveraging this component for interactive chart generation. The issue stems from inadequate input sanitization during the web page generation process, specifically when handling user-provided data that gets embedded into HTML content. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-79, which categorizes it as a classic XSS weakness where malicious scripts can be injected into web pages viewed by other users. The flaw is particularly concerning because it occurs in a method within Vega that was previously thought to be protected against such attacks, indicating a regression or incomplete mitigation in the security controls. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious input that bypasses existing safeguards, allowing them to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of a victim's browser session.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user data, manipulate web page content, and potentially escalate privileges within the affected application. The authenticated nature of the exploit means that attackers must first gain legitimate user credentials, but once obtained, they can leverage this vulnerability to compromise user sessions and perform actions with the victim's privileges. This weakness is particularly dangerous in applications where users can submit data that gets rendered as visualizations, as it provides a direct pathway for attackers to inject malicious payloads into the application's output. The bypass of previous XSS mitigations suggests that the security controls may have been weakened or improperly implemented, creating a false sense of security for developers and administrators who rely on these protections.
Security professionals should prioritize immediate remediation of this vulnerability through input validation and output encoding mechanisms that properly sanitize all user-provided data before it is rendered in web pages. The mitigation strategy should include implementing proper HTML escaping for all dynamic content, enforcing strict content security policies, and conducting thorough input validation at multiple layers of the application. Organizations should also review their existing security controls to ensure that similar bypasses have not occurred in other components of their web applications. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566.001 for spearphishing attachment, as attackers can use this vulnerability to deliver malicious payloads that execute within user browsers. The remediation process should follow OWASP XSS prevention guidelines and incorporate automated security testing to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future development cycles, particularly focusing on the input/output sanitization patterns that failed to protect against this specific attack vector.