DOM-based XSS in Ansible Platform UI

Executive Summary

This is a DOM-based Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Ansible Platform UI. It occurs because the application does not properly validate input in the redirect route. The app takes the 'next' query parameter, which specifies a destination URL, and directly assigns it to the browser's location.href without checking if it is a safe URL. This bypasses built-in URL validation that should block malicious schemes like javascript: or data:. As a result, an attacker can create a malicious link that executes arbitrary JavaScript in the context of an authenticated user's session when they click it.

The vulnerability specifically affects the redirect functionality where the application fails to enforce proper URL validation before redirecting.

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Impact Analysis

If you are an authenticated user of the Ansible Platform UI, an attacker could trick you into clicking a specially crafted link. This link would execute malicious JavaScript in your browser session, potentially allowing the attacker to steal your session cookies, perform actions on your behalf, or access sensitive data within the application. The impact includes unauthorized data access, session hijacking, or defacement of the UI.

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Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, which may violate compliance requirements such as GDPR (data protection) or HIPAA (health information privacy). If exploited, it could result in data breaches, unauthorized disclosure of personal or health information, and failure to meet regulatory obligations for data security and user consent.

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Mitigation Strategies

Update the Ansible Platform UI to the latest patched version to ensure proper validation of the next query parameter and prevent bypass of URL validation controls.

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