Sending unvalidated data to a web browser can result in the browser executing malicious code.
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities occur when:
1. Data enters a web application through an untrusted source. In the case of Reflected XSS, the untrusted source is typically a web request, while in the case of Persisted (also known as Stored) XSS it is typically a database or other back-end datastore.
2. The data is included in dynamic content that is sent to a web user without being validated for malicious code.
The malicious content sent to the web browser often takes the form of a segment of JavaScript, but may also include HTML, Flash or any other type of code that the browser may execute. The variety of attacks based on XSS is almost limitless, but they commonly include transmitting private data like cookies or other session information to the attacker, redirecting the victim to web content controlled by the attacker, or performing other malicious operations on the user's machine under the guise of the vulnerable site.
Example 1: The following Python code segment reads an employee ID, eid
, from an HTTP request and displays it to the user.
req = self.request() # fetch the request object
eid = req.field('eid',None) # tainted request message
...
self.writeln("Employee ID:" + eid)
eid
contains only standard alphanumeric text. If eid
has a value that includes meta-characters or source code, then the code will be executed by the web browser as it displays the HTTP response.
...
cursor.execute("select * from emp where id="+eid)
row = cursor.fetchone()
self.writeln('Employee name: ' + row["emp"]')
...
name
are well-behaved, but it does nothing to prevent exploits if they are not. Again, this code can appear less dangerous because the value of name
is read from a database, whose contents are apparently managed by the application. However, if the value of name
originates from user-supplied data, then the database can be a conduit for malicious content. Without proper input validation on all data stored in the database, an attacker can execute malicious commands in the user's web browser. This type of exploit, known as Persistent (or Stored) XSS, is particularly insidious because the indirection caused by the data store makes it more difficult to identify the threat and increases the possibility that the attack will affect multiple users. XSS got its start in this form with web sites that offered a "guestbook" to visitors. Attackers would include JavaScript in their guestbook entries, and all subsequent visitors to the guestbook page would execute the malicious code.[1] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2007 - (OWASP 2007) A1 Cross Site Scripting (XSS)
[2] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2010 - (OWASP 2010) A2 Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
[3] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2004 - (OWASP 2004) A4 Cross Site Scripting
[4] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3 - (STIG 3) APP3510 CAT I, APP3580 CAT I
[5] Standards Mapping - Web Application Security Consortium 24 + 2 - (WASC 24 + 2) Cross-site Scripting
[6] Standards Mapping - Common Weakness Enumeration - (CWE) CWE ID 79, CWE ID 80
[7] HTML 4.01 Specification W3
[8] Standards Mapping - SANS Top 25 2009 - (SANS 2009) Insecure Interaction - CWE ID 079
[9] Standards Mapping - SANS Top 25 2010 - (SANS 2010) Insecure Interaction - CWE ID 079
[10] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 1.2 - (PCI 1.2) Requirement 6.3.1.1, Requirement 6.5.1
[11] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 1.1 - (PCI 1.1) Requirement 6.5.4
[12] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 2.0 - (PCI 2.0) Requirement 6.5.7
[13] Standards Mapping - FIPS200 - (FISMA) SI
[14] Understanding Malicious Content Mitigation for Web Developers CERT