GHSA-vqff-r82h-9crc: XSS
Summary
The MCP Apps UI resource (an interactive DataStore table rendered in the host's webview/iframe) communicates with its parent via postMessage. Its inbound message listener performs no event.origin validation, and its outbound messages are sent with target origin ''. Any window/frame able to reach the document can inject data into the table and interfere with the MCP UI handshake, and the UI's own JSON-RPC messages are broadcast without an origin restriction.
Affected code
src/resources/datastore-table-ui.ts (inline HTML):
js window.addEventListener('message', function (event) { var msg = event.data; // no check of event.origin if (!msg || typeof msg !== 'object') return; if (msg.id !== undefined && pending[msg.id]) { ... resolve/reject pending MCP request ... } ... if (data && (data.fields || data.records)) initTable(data); // renders attacker-supplied data });
// outbound: window.parent.postMessage({ jsonrpc: '2.0', id: id, method: method, params: params || {} }, ''); mcpNot: window.parent.postMessage({ jsonrpc:'2.0', method:method, params:params||{} }, '');
There is no allowlist of accepted origins for inbound messages and no fixed target origin for outbound messages.
Impact
- Content spoofing. A frame that can postMessage to the UI can supply arbitrary fields/records, causing the table to render fabricated rows and links (e.g. a phishing linkurl) that appear to come from the queried portal. (Values are HTML-escaped, so this is display spoofing, not script injection — no XSS.) - Handshake/UX interference. Because inbound messages matching a pending id resolve/reject the UI's MCP requests, an attacker frame can spoof responses to the ui/initialize handshake or otherwise disrupt the panel. - Outbound leakage. Posting to '' means the UI's JSON-RPC messages are delivered to whatever the parent origin is; if the resource is ever embedded by a context other than the trusted host, those messages leak to it.
Exploitability depends on the host embedding model (in a correct MCP Apps host the parent is the trusted host, which limits who can message the frame), so this is a hardening / defense-in-depth issue rather than a directly remotely-triggerable one — hence Low.
Proof of concept
- poc/verify-no-origin-check.mjs — static confirmation that the listener has no origin check and outbound uses '':
[x] validates event.origin : NO [x] outgoing postMessage targetOrigin : '' (any) RESULT: VULNERABLE
- poc/parent-spoof-poc.html — a page that embeds the UI and injects fabricated rows cross-origin with no handshake; the UI renders them.
Remediation
- Validate event.origin against the expected host origin on every inbound message; drop messages from other origins. - Send outbound postMessage with an explicit target origin (the host origin established at initialize time) instead of ''. - Optionally, bind to a nonce/channel established during ui/initialize so only the negotiated host can drive the panel.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
npm/@aborruso/ckan-mcp-serverto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 0.4.112 - Configuration
Validate event.origin against the expected host origin on every inbound message and drop messages from other origins.
MCP Apps UI postMessage listener event.origin allowlist = expected host origin only - Configuration
Send outbound postMessage calls with the trusted host origin instead of '*'.
MCP Apps UI outbound postMessage targetOrigin = explicit negotiated host origin - Configuration
Optionally bind inbound and outbound messages to a nonce or channel established during ui/initialize so only the negotiated host can drive the panel.
MCP Apps UI message channel nonce/channel binding = nonce or channel established during ui/initialize
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What conditions are required for exploitation?
An attacker needs to be able to reach the MCP Apps UI document from a window or frame and cause it to receive postMessage data. Exploitation also requires user interaction, as reflected in the UI:R vector.
What can an attacker do through the vulnerable message handling?
An attacker can inject data into the interactive DataStore table and interfere with the MCP UI handshake by sending crafted messages. The UI also sends its JSON-RPC messages to its parent using a wildcard target origin, allowing those messages to be broadcast without an origin restriction.
Which component should be reviewed for exposure?
Review the inline HTML in src/resources/datastore-table-ui.ts, specifically the MCP Apps UI resource rendered in a host webview or iframe. The affected logic is the inbound message listener and outbound window.parent.postMessage calls.