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Cross-site Scripting occurrences in Webfocus Installer
The WebFOCUS Reporting Server and WebFOCUS Client components of TIBCO Software Inc.'s TIBCO WebFOCUS Client, TIBCO WebFOCUS Installer, and TIBCO WebFOCUS Reporting Server contain easily exploitable Stored and Reflected Cross Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities that allow a low privileged attacker to social engineer a legitimate user with network access to execute scripts targeting the affected system or the victim's local system. A successful attack using this vulnerability requires human interaction from a person other than the attacker. Affected releases are TIBCO Software Inc.'s TIBCO WebFOCUS Client: versions 8207.27.0 and below, TIBCO WebFOCUS Installer: versions 8207.27.0 and below, and TIBCO WebFOCUS Reporting Server: versions 8207.27.0 and below. (2021-09-14, CVE-2021-35493)
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>