This article is a part of our Vulnerability Database (back to index)
Cross-site Scripting occurrences in Koha
KOHA Library System version 16.11.x (up until 16.11.13) and 17.05.x (up until 17.05.05) contains a Cross Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Multiple fields on multiple pages including /cgi-bin/koha/acqui/supplier.pl?op=enter , /cgi-bin/koha/circ/circulation.pl?borrowernumber=[number] , /cgi-bin/koha/serials/subscription-add.pl that can result in Privilege escalation by taking control of higher privileged users browser sessions. This attack appear to be exploitable via Victims must be socially engineered to visit a vulnerable webpage containing malicious payload. This vulnerability appears to have been fixed in 17.11. (2018-09-06, CVE-2018-1000670)
Why Cross-site Scripting can be dangerous
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>