Overview
A reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability has been identified in Openatlas, an open-source platform widely used in archaeological research. This vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-60917, affects versions prior to v8.12.0. It allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into the user’s browser through a crafted URL, potentially leading to unauthorized access or data compromise. Specifically, the vulnerability resides in the /overview/network/ endpoint.
Technical Details
The vulnerability is a reflected XSS, meaning the malicious script is embedded in a request to the server and reflected back to the user’s browser without proper sanitization. In this case, the color parameter within the /overview/network/ endpoint is susceptible. An attacker can craft a URL containing a malicious JavaScript payload within the color parameter. When a user clicks on this crafted link, the payload is executed in their browser, in the context of the Openatlas application.
CVSS Analysis
As the CVSS score is currently listed as N/A, a precise risk assessment is challenging. However, given that this is an XSS vulnerability, its impact can be significant. Without a CVSS score, it is best to treat this as a high priority.
Further analysis to determine the exploitability and impact metrics is highly recommended for a comprehensive risk assessment. Once available, the CVSS score and vector string will provide a clearer picture of the vulnerability’s severity.
Possible Impact
The successful exploitation of this XSS vulnerability could have several significant consequences:
- Account Compromise: An attacker could steal user session cookies, gaining unauthorized access to their Openatlas accounts.
- Data Theft: Malicious scripts could be used to extract sensitive archaeological data stored within the Openatlas instance.
- Website Defacement: An attacker could modify the appearance or content of the Openatlas website.
- Malware Distribution: The vulnerability could be used to inject malicious code that redirects users to websites hosting malware.
- Phishing Attacks: Attackers could craft fake login forms to steal user credentials.
Mitigation and Patch Steps
To mitigate the risk posed by CVE-2025-60917, it is strongly recommended to upgrade to Openatlas version 8.12.0 or later. This version includes a patch that addresses the XSS vulnerability by properly sanitizing user input.
If upgrading is not immediately feasible, consider implementing the following temporary mitigation measures:
- Input Validation: Implement strict input validation on the server-side to filter out potentially malicious characters from the
colorparameter. - Output Encoding: Ensure that all data displayed to the user is properly encoded to prevent the execution of malicious scripts.
- Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to detect and block XSS attacks.
- Educate Users: Train users to be cautious about clicking on links from untrusted sources.
References
Sec4You – Openatlas XSS Vulnerability in Color Fields
Sec4You – Vulnerabilities
