CVE-2024-0226: Synopsys Seeker XSS Vulnerability

CVE-2024-0226 Overview

CVE-2024-0226 is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting Synopsys Seeker, an interactive application security testing (IAST) product. Versions prior to 2023.12.0 accept a specially crafted payload that is persisted and later rendered in the browser context of other users. An authenticated attacker with low privileges can inject malicious script content that executes when a victim views the affected page. The flaw is categorized under CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation).

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers can persist malicious scripts that execute in other users' sessions, enabling session theft, UI manipulation, and pivoting across the Seeker web interface.

Affected Products

• Synopsys Seeker versions prior to 2023.12.0
• Deployments exposing the Seeker web interface to authenticated users
• Environments where Seeker accounts have shared access to stored content

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-01-09 - CVE-2024-0226 published to the National Vulnerability Database
• 2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-0226

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from insufficient output encoding when Seeker renders user-supplied input that was previously stored on the server. An attacker with valid credentials submits a crafted payload through an input field accepted by the application. The payload is persisted to the backend datastore without adequate neutralization. When another user navigates to a view that renders the stored value, the browser interprets the payload as executable HTML or JavaScript.

Because Seeker is an application security testing platform, accounts often belong to developers, AppSec engineers, and administrators. Script execution in those sessions can expose vulnerability data, scan configurations, and integration credentials managed through the console. The scope change reflected in the CVSS vector indicates that the impact crosses the trust boundary of the originating component.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of input during web page generation, classified as [CWE-79]. Seeker stores attacker-controlled content and later emits it into HTML responses without context-appropriate encoding. Successful exploitation requires user interaction by a victim who loads the affected view in an authenticated session.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based against the Seeker web interface. The attacker authenticates with low privileges, submits the crafted payload through a vulnerable input field, and waits for a victim user to render the stored content. No additional access to the host or database is required. Refer to the Synopsys Security Advisory CVE-2024-0226 for vendor technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-0226

Indicators of Compromise

• Stored fields in Seeker containing HTML tags such as <script>, <img onerror=>, or <svg onload=> in places that should hold plain text
• Unexpected outbound HTTP requests from browsers loading Seeker pages, indicating script-driven beaconing
• Authenticated Seeker sessions exhibiting unusual API calls performed shortly after viewing user-generated content

Detection Strategies

• Inspect HTTP request bodies submitted to Seeker endpoints for payloads containing script tags, event handlers, or encoded JavaScript
• Review web server and application logs for entries where stored fields contain markup characters that bypass expected validation
• Compare Seeker database records against expected input formats to identify previously stored XSS payloads

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable browser Content Security Policy (CSP) reporting to capture script execution attempts on Seeker pages
• Correlate authentication logs with submissions to flag low-privilege accounts injecting markup into stored fields
• Monitor administrative actions performed shortly after a user loads pages that render content authored by other accounts

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-0226

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Synopsys Seeker to version 2023.12.0 or later as directed by the vendor advisory
• Audit existing stored content for embedded markup and remove any payloads introduced before patching
• Rotate Seeker session tokens and integration credentials that may have been exposed to active sessions

Patch Information

Synopsys addressed the vulnerability in Seeker 2023.12.0. Apply the upgrade following the guidance in the Synopsys Security Advisory CVE-2024-0226. Validate the upgrade in a staging environment before promoting to production instances.

Workarounds

• Restrict Seeker access to trusted users until the upgrade is deployed to limit the population that can submit payloads
• Enforce a strict Content Security Policy on the Seeker host to reduce the impact of script execution in browser sessions
• Place a web application firewall (WAF) in front of the Seeker interface with rules that block common XSS payload patterns