CVE-2022-42001 is a Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the BlueSpiceBookshelf extension of the BlueSpice platform, developed by Hallo Welt! GmbH. BlueSpice is a wiki software often used for enterprise knowledge management. This vulnerability specifically affects version 4 of BlueSpice. The flaw allows a user who has a regular account with edit permissions to inject arbitrary HTML code into the book navigation component of the platform. Because the vulnerability is an XSS type (CWE-79), it enables the injection of malicious scripts that can be executed in the context of other users' browsers when they view the affected navigation elements. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 3.3, indicating a low severity level. The vector string (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N) shows that the attack requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), privileges (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N). The impact is limited to confidentiality (C:L), with no integrity or availability impact. No known exploits are reported in the wild, and no patches are linked in the provided data. The vulnerability does not require user interaction but does require the attacker to have edit permissions, which limits the attack surface to authenticated users with certain privileges. The injection point is the book navigation, which is a UI element used for navigating content, potentially exposing other users to malicious scripts if they access the affected navigation. This could lead to session hijacking, credential theft, or other client-side attacks if exploited. However, the limited privileges required and the low impact on integrity and availability reduce the overall risk. The vulnerability is publicly disclosed and enriched by CISA, indicating recognition by cybersecurity authorities.

For European organizations using BlueSpice version 4, particularly those leveraging the BlueSpiceBookshelf extension for internal knowledge management, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to confidentiality. An attacker with edit permissions could inject malicious HTML or scripts into the book navigation, which other users with access to the platform might inadvertently execute. This could lead to theft of session tokens, unauthorized access to sensitive information, or phishing attacks within the corporate environment. Although the vulnerability does not affect integrity or availability, the potential for data leakage or user impersonation could undermine trust in internal systems and lead to compliance issues, especially under GDPR regulations concerning data protection. The requirement for edit permissions limits the threat to insider threats or compromised accounts rather than external attackers. Organizations with large numbers of users having edit rights or insufficient account management controls are at higher risk. Since BlueSpice is used in knowledge management, the exposure of internal documentation or intellectual property could have strategic consequences. The absence of known exploits in the wild suggests limited active exploitation, but the public disclosure means attackers could develop exploits if motivated. Overall, the impact is moderate for confidentiality-sensitive environments but low for others.

1. Restrict edit permissions strictly to trusted users and regularly audit user roles to minimize the number of accounts that can inject content. 2. Implement robust input validation and output encoding on the BlueSpiceBookshelf extension, especially for the book navigation component, to sanitize any HTML or script inputs. 3. Upgrade to a patched version of BlueSpice once available from Hallo Welt! GmbH; monitor vendor advisories for updates addressing this vulnerability. 4. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts within the BlueSpice application context. 5. Conduct regular security awareness training for users with edit permissions to recognize and report suspicious activities. 6. Monitor logs for unusual editing patterns or injection attempts in the book navigation area. 7. If feasible, isolate BlueSpice deployments behind internal networks or VPNs to reduce exposure to external attackers. 8. Consider implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for accounts with edit privileges to reduce the risk of account compromise. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on permission management, input sanitization specific to the vulnerable component, and leveraging security headers to mitigate impact.