CVE-2018-20594: org.hswebframework.web:hsweb-commons - Reflected XSS Vulnerability
Summary
CVE-2018-20594: Moderate severity vulnerability that affects org.hswebframework.web:hsweb-commons. Affects org.hswebframework.web:hsweb-commons versions < 3.0.4. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
org.hswebframework.web:hsweb-commons is a Maven package that provides common utilities and components for building web applications. It is widely used in Java-based web development projects. This package is vulnerable to a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) attack due to the absence of type parameter checking in the FlowableModelManagerController.java file. This vulnerability allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by users, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data theft, or other malicious actions.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability arises from the lack of proper input validation and sanitization in the FlowableModelManagerController.java file of org.hswebframework.web:hsweb-commons. By exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker can craft a malicious URL that, when clicked by a victim, executes arbitrary JavaScript code in the victim's browser. This can lead to session hijacking, defacement of web pages, or the theft of sensitive information. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 6.1, indicating a moderate severity level.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
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Workaround
As a temporary workaround, developers can manually implement input validation and sanitization in the affected code. This can be done by checking the type parameter and applying appropriate encoding or filtering to prevent the execution of malicious scripts. Here is an example of how to implement input validation and sanitization in Java:
// Validate and sanitize the 'type' parameter
String type = request.getParameter("type");
if (type != null) {
type = type.replaceAll("<", "<").replaceAll(">", ">");
}
This code snippet replaces the '<' and '>' characters with their HTML entity equivalents, effectively neutralizing any potential XSS attacks.
Conclusion
The org.hswebframework.web:hsweb-commons package is vulnerable to a reflected XSS attack due to the absence of type parameter checking in the FlowableModelManagerController.java file. This vulnerability can have serious consequences, including unauthorized access and data theft. It is crucial to update the package to a fixed version and implement proper input validation and sanitization to mitigate the risk. For further support on vulnerability remediation, you can contact DevNack.com.
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FAQ
org.hswebframework.web:hsweb-commons is a Maven package that provides common utilities and components for building web applications in Java. It offers various functionalities such as database access, authentication, authorization, and more.
A reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability is a type of security vulnerability that allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by users. The injected scripts are typically crafted in URLs and are reflected back to the user's browser, executing the malicious code.
This vulnerability can lead to various malicious actions, including unauthorized access to user accounts, theft of sensitive information, defacement of web pages, and the execution of arbitrary code in the victim's browser.
You can use Vulert's playground (https://vulert.com/scanner) to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability. Simply provide your pom.xml file, and Vulert will analyze it for any open-source vulnerabilities, including this one.
Yes, it is recommended to update the org.hswebframework.web:hsweb-commons package to a version that includes the necessary type parameter checking in the FlowableModelManagerController.java file. The latest version of the package should have this issue resolved.
References
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