CVE-2019-12741 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability has been identified in the HAPI FHIR testpage overlay module of the HAPI FHIR library prior to version 3.8.0. This vulnerability allows attackers to obtain sensitive information by manipulating the URL.

Understanding CVE-2019-12741

This CVE involves a specific XSS vulnerability in the HAPI FHIR library.

What is CVE-2019-12741?

CVE-2019-12741 is an XSS vulnerability in the HAPI FHIR testpage overlay module, allowing attackers to access sensitive data through URL manipulation.

The Impact of CVE-2019-12741

The impact of this vulnerability is expected to be limited due to the module's uncommon use in production systems. However, affected systems are advised to upgrade to version 3.8.0 or later to mitigate risks.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-12741

This section provides technical details of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The XSS vulnerability in the HAPI FHIR testpage overlay module allows attackers to extract sensitive information by manipulating HTTP parameters displayed on a form page.

Affected Systems and Versions

The HAPI FHIR library before version 3.8.0 is vulnerable to this XSS issue.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting URLs to leak cookies and other sensitive data.

Mitigation and Prevention

Actions to mitigate and prevent the CVE-2019-12741 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade affected systems to HAPI FHIR library version 3.8.0 or above.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement input validation and output encoding to prevent XSS attacks.
Regularly monitor and update security patches to address potential vulnerabilities.
Educate developers on secure coding practices to prevent similar issues.
Conduct security audits to identify and address any existing vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates and patches released by HAPI FHIR to address vulnerabilities.