Source: cve@mitre.org
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in TestLink before 1.8 RC1 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) Testproject Names and (2) Testplan Names in planEdit.php, and possibly (3) Testcaseprefixes in projectview.tpl.
TestLink, a popular test management tool, is vulnerable to multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. Attackers can inject malicious scripts into the application through crafted input fields, potentially leading to account compromise, data theft, or session hijacking for users accessing the compromised TestLink instance.
Step 1: Payload Delivery: The attacker crafts a malicious payload, typically JavaScript code, designed to execute within the victim's browser.
Step 2: Input Injection: The attacker injects the payload into the vulnerable fields (Testproject Names, Testplan Names, or Testcaseprefixes) within TestLink. This is done through a web form or API call.
Step 3: Data Storage: The injected payload is stored in the TestLink database along with the legitimate data.
Step 4: Victim Interaction: A legitimate user accesses a page within TestLink that displays the malicious data (e.g., views a project or test plan).
Step 5: Payload Execution: The browser renders the page, including the attacker's injected JavaScript. The JavaScript executes within the user's browser, in the context of the TestLink application.
Step 6: Exploitation: The injected JavaScript can perform various actions, such as stealing the user's session cookies, redirecting the user to a phishing site, or modifying the content of the page.
The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding in TestLink versions prior to 1.8 RC1. Specifically, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data, such as Testproject Names, Testplan Names, and potentially Testcaseprefixes, before rendering it in the web interface. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code into these fields. When a user views a page containing the malicious input, the injected script executes in their browser, enabling the attacker to perform actions on behalf of the user. The root cause is a lack of input validation and output encoding, specifically failing to escape special characters like < and > when displaying user-provided data. This allows for the injection of malicious HTML tags and JavaScript code. The absence of proper contextual encoding further exacerbates the issue.
While no specific APTs are directly linked to this CVE, the ease of exploitation and potential impact (account takeover, data theft) make it attractive to various threat actors. This vulnerability could be used as part of a larger attack chain. Not listed on CISA KEV.
Network traffic analysis: Look for unusual HTTP requests containing JavaScript code or HTML tags in the parameters related to Testproject Names, Testplan Names, or Testcaseprefixes.
Web server logs: Examine web server logs for suspicious requests targeting planEdit.php or projectview.tpl, especially those with unusual characters or patterns in the request parameters.
Intrusion Detection System (IDS) / Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Deploy rules to detect XSS attempts, specifically those targeting the vulnerable parameters.
Content Security Policy (CSP) violations: Monitor for CSP violations, which may indicate XSS attempts.
File Integrity Monitoring (FIM): Monitor for changes to core TestLink files, especially those related to project and plan management.
Upgrade to TestLink 1.8 RC1 or later. This version includes fixes for the XSS vulnerabilities.
Implement input validation: Sanitize all user-supplied input to remove or encode potentially malicious characters (e.g., <, >, &, ', ").
Implement output encoding: Encode data before displaying it in the web interface to prevent the browser from interpreting it as HTML or JavaScript.
Use a Content Security Policy (CSP): Configure a CSP to restrict the sources from which the browser can load resources (scripts, stylesheets, images, etc.), mitigating the impact of successful XSS attacks.
Regularly scan the application for vulnerabilities using automated tools.
Apply the principle of least privilege: Ensure users have only the necessary permissions within TestLink.