Cxf Cross-site Scripting

By default, Apache CXF creates a /services page containing a listing of the available endpoint names and addresses. This webpage is vulnerable to a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attack via the styleSheetPath, which allows a malicious actor to inject javascript into the web page. This vulnerability affects all versions of Apache CXF prior to 3.4.1 and 3.3.8. Please note that this is a separate issue to CVE-2019-17573. (2020-11-12, CVE-2020-13954)

By default, Apache CXF creates a /services page containing a listing of the available endpoint names and addresses. This webpage is vulnerable to a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attack, which allows a malicious actor to inject javascript into the web page. Please note that the attack exploits a feature which is not typically not present in modern browsers, who remove dot segments before sending the request. However, Mobile applications may be vulnerable. (2020-01-16, CVE-2019-17573)

Cross site scripting is an attack where a web page executes code that is injected by an adversary. It usually appears, when users input is presented. This attack can be used to impersonate a user, take over control of the session, or even steal API keys.

The attack can be executed e.g. when you application injects the request parameter directly into the HTML code of the page returned to the user:

https://server.com/confirmation?message=Transaction+Complete

what results in:

<span>Confirmation: Transaction Complete</span>

In that case the message can be modified to become a valid Javascript code, e.g.:

https://server.com/confirmation?message=<script>dangerous javascript code here</script>

and it will be executed locally by the user's browser with full access to the user's personal application/browser data:

<span>Confirmation: <script>dangerous javascript code here</script></span>