CVE Request: XSS in Elgg 1.8.12, 1.7.16 (core module "Twitter widget")

[Moritz Naumann <security () moritz-naumann com>]

Hi,

Elgg [1], versions 1.8.12 and 1.7.16 and earlier, bears a persistent
script injection vulnerability in its core module "Twitter widget",
which allows for XSS attacks.

On installations which have the Twitter widget activated (disabled by
default, but in use on many installations), any authenticated user may
add the Twitter widget to their activity / dashboard page. Editing its
configuration allows the user to set the twitter_username parameter. The
value stored in this parameter will be echoed without sanitation [2]
when the users' activity / dashboard page is requested (by the same or
any other user, authenticated or not).

According to changes committed [3] to their Git repository Elgg
developers will provide a fix for this issue in the upcoming (?) 1.8.13
release.

Reported by:
  Moritz Naumann
  http://moritz-naumann.com

A CVE ID has, to my knowledge, not yet been assigned. Secunia has
assigned it SA52007.

A slightly more complete advisory should hit FD and Bugtraq any minute.

Thanks,

Moritz

[1] http://elgg.org/
[2]
http://github.com/Elgg/Elgg/commit/a74a88501c41e89c8bcd7fc650ae2f8cc0a5003d#L2L21
[3]
http://github.com/Elgg/Elgg/commit/19dc507c2fccb378be2a44a762edf6c1e7afa334#L0R11