Jorani Cross-Site Scripting Scanner

Jorani is a widely used open-source application designed to handle leave management systems for organizations. Developed by Benjamin BALET, it serves as a tool to streamline the process of requesting, approving, and tracking employee leaves. Its user-friendly interface and flexibility in adapting to different organizational policies make it popular among small to medium-sized businesses. Being web-based, organizations can deploy it in their intranet systems for centralized access among HR personnel and employees. Jorani's functionality is often extended with plugins to cater to broader HR management functions, making it a versatile choice. Additionally, it supports various levels of user access controls, enhancing its adaptability in multi-tiered organizational structures.

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is a common vulnerability that occurs when an attacker can inject malicious scripts into content that is then executed by another user's browser. In Jorani, XSS can be exploited through unvalidated inputs, such as parameters within HTTP requests that are reflected back in the application’s response. The vulnerability arises when user inputs, like those in language settings, are not properly sanitized before being included in web pages. This creates an opportunity for attackers to execute arbitrary code in the context of a user's session with the affected web site. Such code execution can lead to session hijacking, modification of user data, or even distribution of malware. Addressing XSS vulnerabilities typically involves implementing strict input validation and output encoding processes.

The technical details of the detected vulnerability highlight that the 'language request' parameter, encapsulated in a JavaScript string, is susceptible to XSS attacks. An exploitation payload, such as `75943";alert(1)//569`, inserted into this parameter, is echoed back unmodified, resulting in script execution within a user's browser. This specific vulnerability hence allows potential alteration of session tokens and unauthorized access to sensitive information stored on the Jorani server. Identification of this flaw demonstrates insufficient input validation mechanisms on user-supplied data in the affected versions of the software.

Exploiting the XSS vulnerability in Jorani can have severe impacts on organizational data integrity and user privacy. Attackers could potentially hijack user sessions, granting them unauthorized access to sensitive functions within the HR management system. Confidential employee data, such as leave records and potentially other HR information, could be exposed or modified maliciously. Furthermore, exploitation may result in the dissemination of malicious scripts leading to malware infections on users’ systems. Organizations using affected versions can face reputational damage and may be at risk of having their systems commandeered as part of a larger network of exploited resources.

REFERENCES

• https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174341/Jorani-1.0.3-Cross-Site-Scripting.html