CVE-2021-41791 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

An issue regarding an evasion of the XSS filter in Alfresco Share User Interface leading to stored XSS.

Understanding CVE-2021-41791

What is CVE-2021-41791?

This CVE identifies a vulnerability in Hyland org.alfresco:share through 7.0.0.2 and org.alfresco:community-share through 7.0, allowing a stored XSS attack.

The Impact of CVE-2021-41791

The XSS filter evasion can be exploited by an attacker with privileges on content collaboration features, potentially resulting in malicious script execution.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-41791

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises from a flaw in HTML input validation that enables an attacker to insert and execute malicious scripts within the Alfresco Share User Interface.

Affected Systems and Versions

Products: Hyland org.alfresco:share through 7.0.0.2 and org.alfresco:community-share through 7.0
Versions: All versions up to 7.0.0.2

Exploitation Mechanism

Attacker requires privileges on content collaboration features to exploit the stored XSS vulnerability.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update to the latest version of Hyland org.alfresco:share or org.alfresco:community-share to eliminate the vulnerability.
Implement strict input validation and output encoding to mitigate XSS risks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly educate users on safe browsing habits and identifying potential XSS content.
Monitor web applications for unusual behavior that may indicate XSS attacks.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security patches and updates released by the software vendor to address vulnerabilities promptly.