CVE-2021-3983 : Security Advisory and Response

Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in kevinpapst/kimai2 allows attackers to execute malicious scripts in a victim's web browser.

Understanding CVE-2021-3983

This CVE identifies a stored Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in kevinpapst/kimai2, impacting versions less than 1.16.3.

What is CVE-2021-3983?

kimai2 is vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting (XSS) due to improper neutralization of input during web page generation.

The Impact of CVE-2021-3983

The vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, leading to data theft or unauthorized actions on behalf of the user.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-3983

This section covers specific technical details of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from a lack of input sanitization in web page generation, enabling attackers to store and execute malicious scripts on victim browsers.

Affected Systems and Versions

kevinpapst/kimai2 versions less than 1.16.3 are impacted by this stored XSS vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by injecting malicious scripts into the application, which are then stored and executed when other users access the affected pages.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2021-3983 involves immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update kevinpapst/kimai2 to version 1.16.3 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Regularly monitor and sanitize input fields to prevent XSS attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement input validation and output encoding to prevent XSS vulnerabilities.
Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates and patches released by kevinpapst to address known vulnerabilities.