CVE-2018-1000516 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

The Galaxy Project's Galaxy version v14.10 contains a vulnerability known as CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, making it susceptible to cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. This vulnerability has been fixed in subsequent versions.

Understanding CVE-2018-1000516

This CVE involves a security vulnerability in the Galaxy Project's Galaxy version v14.10 that allows for cross-site scripting attacks.

What is CVE-2018-1000516?

The vulnerability arises from improper sanitization of user input in Galaxy server templates, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code through crafted URLs.

The Impact of CVE-2018-1000516

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary JavaScript code on a victim's system.
Successful attacks require interaction with a page component containing injected JavaScript.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-1000516

The technical aspects of this CVE include:

Vulnerability Description

CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation
Lack of proper user input sanitization in Galaxy server templates

Affected Systems and Versions

Galaxy Project's Galaxy version v14.10

Exploitation Mechanism

Crafting URLs with malicious JavaScript code
Victim interaction with a page component containing injected code

Mitigation and Prevention

It is crucial to take immediate steps and implement long-term security practices to mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2018-1000516.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Galaxy to fixed versions v14.10.1 or v15.01
Educate users on identifying and avoiding suspicious URLs

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and apply security patches
Implement input validation and sanitization mechanisms

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely installation of security updates and patches for Galaxy Project's Galaxy version.