CVE-2012-2918 in Chevereto
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Upload/engine.php in Chevereto 1.91 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the v parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2918 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in Chevereto version 1.91 within the Upload/engine.php file. This security weakness specifically targets the handling of user input through the v parameter, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected applications. The vulnerability resides in the application's insufficient validation and sanitization of input parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation processes.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before incorporating it into web page responses. When the v parameter is processed in Upload/engine.php, the system does not adequately sanitize the input, allowing attackers to inject malicious payloads that can be executed by other users who view the affected content. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in software applications. The flaw represents a classic case of unsafe output encoding where user data flows directly into HTML contexts without proper contextual escaping mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious sites. An attacker could craft a payload that, when executed, would steal session cookies from authenticated users or redirect them to phishing pages designed to capture login credentials. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of user data within the Chevereto application, potentially compromising the entire user base that interacts with the upload functionality. This type of attack aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on credential access through malicious input manipulation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-2918 should prioritize immediate input validation and output encoding practices. Organizations should implement strict parameter validation for all user inputs, particularly those used in dynamic content generation. The application should employ proper HTML escaping mechanisms before rendering any user-supplied content, ensuring that special characters are properly encoded to prevent script execution. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks. Regular security audits and input sanitization routines should be established to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future versions. The most effective remediation involves upgrading to patched versions of Chevereto where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and runtime application self-protection technologies to detect and prevent exploitation attempts.