CVE-2016-4567: Mediaelement Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-277w-qpxr-2549
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CVSS 6.1
CWE-79
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2016-4567 is a MODERATE (CVSS 6.1) cross-site scripting vulnerability (CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')) affecting Mediaelement libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves mediaelement vulnerable to reflected xss. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.11.1, 2.21.1, 3.5.15.

CVE-2016-4567 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2016-4567
GHSA Identifier GHSA-277w-qpxr-2549
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 6.1
CWE Classification CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Affected Product Mediaelement
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 6.1

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction Required (UI:R)
Scope Changed (S:C)
Confidentiality Low (C:L)
Integrity Low (I:L)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2016-4567

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Mediaelement dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

mediaelement fixed: 2.11.1 
npm install mediaelement@2.11.1
contao-components/mediaelement fixed: 2.21.1 
Upgrade contao-components/mediaelement to 2.21.1
contao/core fixed: 3.5.15 
Upgrade contao/core to 3.5.15
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

npm ls mediaelement

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Node.js application is affected by CVE-2016-4567, inspect your project dependencies using npm:

npm ls mediaelement

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Mediaelement in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2.11.1), your application is affected.

Note: The npm ls mediaelement command inspects dependencies declared in your package.json and lockfile; it does not perform automated runtime dynamic scanning.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting'), where the product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users. In Mediaelement, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in flash/FlashMediaElement.swf in MediaElement.js before 2.21.0, as used in WordPress before 4.5.2, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via an obfuscated form of the jsinitfunction parameter, as demonstrated by "jsinitfunctio%gn."

CVE-2016-4567 Affected Mediaelement Versions

3 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2.11.12.21.13.5.15
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
mediaelement
npm/mediaelement
npm
< 2.11.1
2.11.1
contao-components/mediaelement
 Packagist
≥ 2.14.2
< 2.21.1
2.21.1
contao/core
 Packagist
≥ 3.0.0
< 3.5.15
3.5.15

References

NVD — CVE-2016-4567 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4567
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/johndyer/mediaelement/commit/34834eef8ac830b9145df169ec22016a4350f06e
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/mediaelement/mediaelement/commit/34834eef8ac830b9145df169ec22016a4350f06e
codex.wordpress.org/version_4.5.2 WEB
https://codex.wordpress.org/Version_4.5.2
contao.org/en/news/contao-3_5_... WEB
https://contao.org/en/news/contao-3_5_15.html
core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/37371 WEB
https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/37371
Mediaelement Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://gist.github.com/cure53/df34ea68c26441f3ae98f821ba1feb9c
Mediaelement Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/FriendsOfPHP/security-advisories/blob/master/contao-components/mediaelement/CVE-2016-4567.yaml
Mediaelement Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/FriendsOfPHP/security-advisories/blob/master/contao/core/CVE-2016-4567.yaml
Mediaelement Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/johndyer/mediaelement/blob/master/changelog.md
Mediaelement Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/mediaelement/mediaelement/blob/b992ccf5f0c04a207d98bbb0868420751a61ec90/changelog.md?plain=1#L1024
Mediaelement Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/mediaelement/mediaelement/blob/master/changelog.md
Mediaelement Security Information SECURITY
https://web.archive.org/web/20170205142412/http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1035818
wordpress.org/news/2016/05/wordpr... WEB
https://wordpress.org/news/2016/05/wordpress-4-5-2
wpvulndb.com/vulnerabilities/848... WEB
https://wpvulndb.com/vulnerabilities/8488
Mediaelement Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/05/07/2
Mediaelement Security Information SECURITY
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1035818

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2016-4567?
CVE-2016-4567 is a security vulnerability in Mediaelement involving MediaElement Vulnerable to Reflected XSS under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting').
Which Mediaelement versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2.11.1, 2.21.1, 3.5.15 across affected packages: mediaelement, contao-components/mediaelement, contao/core.
What version fixes CVE-2016-4567?
Upgrading to 2.11.1, 2.21.1, 3.5.15 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is mediaelement affected?
Yes, mediaelement is affected in releases prior to 2.11.1. Upgrade your dependency to 2.11.1 or later.
Is contao-components/mediaelement affected?
Yes, contao-components/mediaelement is affected in releases prior to 2.21.1. Upgrade your dependency to 2.21.1 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2016-4567?
CVE-2016-4567 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.1 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2016-4567?
CVE-2016-4567 is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') (The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2016-4567?
Run the dependency tree command: 'npm ls mediaelement'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
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  "id" : "GHSA-277w-qpxr-2549",
  "modified" : "2024-04-25T21:38:55Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-17T03:35:09Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2016-4567" ],
  "summary" : "MediaElement Vulnerable to Reflected XSS ",
  "details" : "Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in flash/FlashMediaElement.swf in MediaElement.js before 2.21.0, as used in WordPress before 4.5.2, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via an obfuscated form of the jsinitfunction parameter, as demonstrated by \"jsinitfunctio%gn.\"",
  "severity" : [ {
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    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4567"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/johndyer/mediaelement/commit/34834eef8ac830b9145df169ec22016a4350f06e"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/mediaelement/mediaelement/commit/34834eef8ac830b9145df169ec22016a4350f06e"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://codex.wordpress.org/Version_4.5.2"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://contao.org/en/news/contao-3_5_15.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/37371"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://gist.github.com/cure53/df34ea68c26441f3ae98f821ba1feb9c"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/FriendsOfPHP/security-advisories/blob/master/contao-components/mediaelement/CVE-2016-4567.yaml"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/FriendsOfPHP/security-advisories/blob/master/contao/core/CVE-2016-4567.yaml"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/johndyer/mediaelement/blob/master/changelog.md"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/mediaelement/mediaelement/blob/b992ccf5f0c04a207d98bbb0868420751a61ec90/changelog.md?plain=1#L1024"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/mediaelement/mediaelement/blob/master/changelog.md"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://web.archive.org/web/20170205142412/http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1035818"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://wordpress.org/news/2016/05/wordpress-4-5-2"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://wpvulndb.com/vulnerabilities/8488"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/05/07/2"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1035818"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-79" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2024-04-25T21:38:55Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2016-05-22T01:59:00Z"
  }
}