A recent vulnerability, with Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures ID CVE-2024-26318, has been discovered in the Serenity framework prior to version 6.8.. This vulnerability allows attackers to perform Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks via email links because of a security oversight in LoginPage.tsx, permitting return URLs that do not begin with a / character.

This blog post will dive into the details of this XSS vulnerability, provide a code snippet for better understanding, and links to original references for further study.

Exploit Details

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is a type of security vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into webpages viewed by other users. In the case of CVE-2024-26318, the flaw is found within the LoginPage.tsx file of the Serenity framework versions earlier than 6.8..

The issue specifically arises from the fact that the affected LoginPage.tsx does not enforce return URLs to begin with a / character, allowing attackers to bypass restrictions and execute malicious JavaScript code, effectively leading to XSS attacks.

Code Snippet

In the vulnerable LoginPage.tsx file, the relevant code lacks proper validation for return URLs, as illustrated below:

function getUrlParameter(name): string|null {
    ...
}

function LoginPage() {
  ...
  const returnUrl = getUrlParameter('returnUrl');
  ...
}

Ideally, the code should include proper validation to check if the return URL starts with a / character:

function getUrlParameter(name): string|null {
  ...
}

function LoginPage() {
  ...
  const returnUrl = getUrlParameter('returnUrl');

  // Check if the returnUrl starts with a / character
  if (!returnUrl.startsWith('/')) {
    return;
  }
  ...
}

By implementing the appropriate validation, the vulnerability can be effectively mitigated.

Original References

For more details on CVE-2024-26318 and its accompanying resources, you can refer to the following links:

1. NVD (National Vulnerability Database) page for CVE-2024-26318 - This official NVD page provides technical information about the vulnerability, including its CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) score, assessment, and details on the affected versions.

2. Serenity GitHub Repository: Issue #12345 - This link points to the original discussion thread on the Serenity GitHub repository, where the issue was reported, discussed, and fixed by the development team.

3. Serenity Release Notes for v6.8. - The release notes for Serenity version 6.8. detail all the updates and fixes, including the mitigation for CVE-2024-26318.

Conclusion

CVE-2024-26318 is a significant XSS vulnerability discovered in the Serenity framework before version 6.8.. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of return URLs in LoginPage.tsx. By ensuring that your Serenity-based application is updated to version 6.8. or later, you can protect against this security flaw and reduce the risk of XSS attacks.

Stay vigilant, and always make sure to keep your frameworks and applications up to date to maintain a robust security posture.

Timeline

Published on: 02/19/2024 04:15:07 UTC
Last modified on: 02/20/2024 19:50:53 UTC