Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2016-15025 is a cross-site scripting issue in generator-hottowel 0.0.11's 404 error handler template. A remote user with required authentication could cause browser-side script execution through the error page. Business impact is limited but real: account actions or displayed data could be exposed in affected generated applications.
Executive priority
Prioritize during normal vulnerability remediation unless the affected generated app is internet-facing and used by authenticated customers or staff. The known impact is integrity-focused browser script execution, not server compromise, and no active exploitation is cited.
Technical view
The source describes CWE-79 in app/templates/src/server/_app.js, component 404 Error Handler, for generator-hottowel 0.0.11. CVSS v2 is 4.0 with AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:N, indicating remote, low-complexity exploitation requiring authentication and integrity impact only. The named fix is commit c17092fd4103143a9ddab93c8983ace8bf174396.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely limited to projects using generator-hottowel 0.0.11 or generated server templates derived from its vulnerable 404 handler. The bundle does not identify broader affected products, downstream applications, or specific deployment patterns.
Exploitation context
The sources say the attack can be launched remotely, but the CVSS vector requires authentication. KEV is false, and the bundle provides no evidence of active exploitation. Treat this as a hygiene and targeted-risk issue rather than an emergency internet-wide threat.
Researcher notes
Evidence is sparse: the vulnerable function is not named, and sources point to VulDB plus a GitHub PR and patch. Focus validation on the 404 handler template and downstream generated code. Do not expand scope beyond generator-hottowel 0.0.11 without additional evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory generator-hottowel usage and generated code based on version 0.0.11.
- Apply or incorporate upstream patch c17092fd4103143a9ddab93c8983ace8bf174396.
- Review the generated 404 handler for unsanitized user-controlled output.
- Check vendor or project guidance before making unsupported remediation changes.
- Add regression coverage for 404 error rendering and output encoding.
Validation and detection
- Confirm dependency manifests or generator history reference generator-hottowel 0.0.11.
- Compare app/templates/src/server/_app.js or generated equivalents with the upstream patch.
- Verify 404 responses encode untrusted values before rendering them in HTML.
- Run existing unit and browser regression tests for error-page behavior.
- Document whether deployed applications actually include the vulnerable generated handler.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-79: User-session and phishing behavior lookup
Client-side and session-facing weaknesses should be reviewed alongside initial-access and user-execution behaviors. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2016-15025 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 4 (2.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:N82.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 2.0 score
4MediumVector: AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://vuldb.com/?id.221484CVE reference · vdb-entry, technical-description
- https://vuldb.com/?ctiid.221484CVE reference · signature, permissions-required
- https://github.com/johnpapa/generator-hottowel/pull/174CVE reference · issue-tracking
- https://github.com/johnpapa/generator-hottowel/commit/c17092fd4103143a9ddab93c8983ace8bf174396CVE reference · patch
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.