CVE-2023-3552: Crucial Security Issue - Improper Encoding/Escaping of Output in GitHub Repository nilsteampassnet/teampass Prior to 3..10

Security vulnerabilities pose significant risks, and when discovered, must be promptly and effectively addressed. One such vulnerability is CVE-2023-3552, which concerns improper encoding or escaping of output in the nilsteampassnet/teampass GitHub repository before the version 3..10. This post aims to explain the vulnerability in simple terms, provide code snippets, offer links to original references, and discuss potential exploits.

Background on CVE-2023-3552

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) system assigns unique identifiers to security vulnerabilities, enabling consistent communication and collaboration between parties. The CVE ID CVE-2023-3552 specifically targets a vulnerability in the Teampass project, a popular password manager available on GitHub, and managed by the nilsteampassnet/teampass repository.

Security Issue

The security vulnerability, CVE-2023-3552, is due to improper encoding or escaping of output. This can enable Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) exploits that can inject malicious scripts into the affected web application. As a result, attackers can execute these scripts in users' browsers, potentially gaining unauthorized access to user data or system resources.

Affected Versions

Teampass versions before 3..10 are affected by this vulnerability. It was fixed in version 3..10, so users are strongly recommended to update their installations to this version or later.

Exploit Details

This section presents a brief example illustrating the security vulnerability and how it can be exploited. The affected code snippet in Teampass is as follows:

// In the "items.queries.php" file, line 936:
echo htmlspecialchars(stripslashes(str_replace('\n', '<br />', $_POST['diff'])), ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');

Unfortunately, due to improper escaping and encoding of output, an attacker can inject malicious JavaScript code into the item's history, enabling an XSS attack. Here's an example of an injected payload:

<script>alert('XSS');</script>

When a user with administrator privileges views the item's history containing the malicious payload, the JavaScript code is executed, possibly compromising user data or system resources.

Mitigation

The vulnerability was patched in Teampass version 3..10. Users should update their installations to this version or a later one to mitigate the risk associated with CVE-2023-3552. The updated code for proper escaping and encoding is as follows:

// In the "items.queries.php" file, line 936 (fixed version):
echo nl2br(htmlspecialchars(stripslashes($_POST['diff']), ENT_QUOTES | ENT_HTML401, 'UTF-8'));

Original References

1. Official CVE-2023-3552 Entry: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-3552
2. NIST National Vulnerability Database: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-3552
3. GitHub Repository: https://github.com/nilsteampassnet/teampass
4. Teampass Release Notes (v3..10): https://github.com/nilsteampassnet/teampass/releases/tag/3..10

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is essential to remain vigilant when it comes to identifying and addressing security vulnerabilities. By understanding the nature of CVE-2023-3552 and the risks it poses, users can ensure that they are protected from potential exploits. Please be sure to update your Teampass installation to version 3..10 or a later version to stay safe from this critical security vulnerability.

Timeline

Published on: 07/08/2023 09:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 07/14/2023 14:39:00 UTC