1. Introduction
The vulnerability “Apache Struts 2 struts2-showcase edit-person.action Persistent…” is a remote cross-site scripting (XSS) flaw in the Struts 2 framework’s showcase application. This allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by users, potentially stealing cookies or redirecting them to harmful sites. Systems running the vulnerable Struts2-showcase demo application are affected. A successful exploit could lead to a loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability due to account takeover or data manipulation.
2. Technical Explanation
The remote web server hosts struts2-showcase, a demonstration application for the Struts 2 framework. The ‘edit-person.action’ endpoint does not properly sanitize input received in the ‘name’ and ‘lastName’ parameters. This allows an attacker to inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code which is then executed when users visit the ‘list-people.action’ page. The vulnerability has been assigned CVE-2012-1006. An example attack involves sending a crafted request with malicious script in the name or lastName parameter.
- Root cause: Missing input validation on parameters passed to ‘edit-person.action’.
- Exploit mechanism: An attacker crafts a URL containing malicious JavaScript code within the ‘name’ or ‘lastName’ parameters of ‘edit-person.action’. When another user visits ‘list-people.action’, the injected script is executed in their browser.
- Scope: Affected systems are those running the Struts2-showcase demonstration application, which may be present on development or test servers.
3. Detection and Assessment
Confirming vulnerability requires checking for the presence of the vulnerable showcase application and testing input sanitization.
- Quick checks: Check if the Struts2-showcase application is accessible via a web browser. If it is, proceed with further testing.
- Scanning: Nessus plugin ID 16eaf1b can identify this vulnerability. This should be used as an example only and may require updates to remain effective.
- Logs and evidence: Examine web server logs for requests to ‘edit-person.action’ containing suspicious characters or script tags in the ‘name’ or ‘lastName’ parameters.
# Example command placeholder:
# Check if struts2-showcase is running on port 8080
curl http://localhost:8080/struts2-showcase
4. Solution / Remediation Steps
The primary solution is to remove or restrict access to the Struts2-showcase application as it’s a demonstration environment not intended for production use.
4.1 Preparation
- Dependencies: None. Change window needs will depend on your internal policies. Approval may be required by the security team.
4.2 Implementation
- Step 1: Stop any services that rely on the Struts2-showcase application.
- Step 2: Remove the Struts2-showcase application directory from the web server.
- Step 3: Verify the application is no longer accessible via a web browser.
4.3 Config or Code Example
Before
# Struts2-showcase application directory exists on web server
/var/www/html/struts2-showcase
After
# Struts2-showcase application directory removed from web server
ls /var/www/html # Should not list struts2-showcase
4.4 Security Practices Relevant to This Vulnerability
Practices that directly address this vulnerability type include input validation and secure defaults.
- Practice 1: Input Validation – Always validate user inputs on the server side to prevent malicious code from being injected into web applications.
- Practice 2: Least Privilege – Run web applications with the minimum necessary privileges to limit the impact of a successful exploit.
4.5 Automation (Optional)
# Example Bash script to remove the application directory
#!/bin/bash
# WARNING: This will permanently delete the Struts2-showcase directory!
rm -rf /var/www/html/struts2-showcase
5. Verification / Validation
Confirming the fix involves verifying that the application is no longer accessible and attempting to re-inject a malicious payload.
- Post-fix check: Attempt to access ‘http://localhost:8080/struts2-showcase’. The page should return a 404 or similar error.
- Re-test: Scan the web server with Nessus plugin ID 16eaf1b. It should no longer report the vulnerability.
- Smoke test: Verify other web applications on the server are functioning as expected.
# Post-fix command and expected output
curl -I http://localhost:8080/struts2-showcase
HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found
6. Preventive Measures and Monitoring
Preventive measures include updating security baselines and incorporating checks into CI/CD pipelines.
- Baselines: Update your web server baseline to disallow the deployment of demonstration applications in production environments.
- Asset and patch process: Regularly review deployed assets for unnecessary or outdated components like demo applications.
7. Risks, Side Effects, and Roll Back
Removing the Struts2-showcase application may impact testing if it’s used in a production environment. A roll back involves restoring the application from backup.
- Roll back: Restore the Struts2-showcase directory from a backup to its original location on the web server. Restart any dependent services.
8. References and Resources
- Vendor advisory or bulletin: http://secpod.org/blog/?p=450
- NVD or CVE entry: /cve/CVE-2012-1006
- Product or platform documentation relevant to the fix: None.