CVE-2014-4331 in OctavoCMS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in admin/viewer.php in OctavoCMS allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the src parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2024
The CVE-2014-4331 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the OctavoCMS content management system, specifically within the admin/viewer.php component. This vulnerability exposes the system to remote code execution risks through malicious input manipulation, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this platform. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input passed through the src parameter, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that enables attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in victim browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the OctavoCMS admin/viewer.php script processes the src parameter without adequate input validation or output encoding mechanisms. Attackers can craft malicious payloads by manipulating the src parameter to include JavaScript code or HTML content that gets rendered back to users browsing the administrative interface. This creates a persistent threat vector where compromised users' sessions could be hijacked, sensitive data could be exfiltrated, or the attacker could perform unauthorized administrative actions. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic lack of proper data sanitization practices that should be implemented at all input and output points within web applications, aligning with the OWASP Top Ten security principles that emphasize input validation and output encoding as essential protective measures.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to organizations using OctavoCMS, particularly those with administrative interfaces accessible to multiple users. The remote exploitation capability means attackers can potentially compromise the entire administrative environment without requiring physical access or local network presence. The attack surface extends beyond simple script injection to include potential session hijacking, data manipulation, and privilege escalation attacks that could lead to complete system compromise. This vulnerability directly relates to the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, where attackers can leverage XSS to execute malicious scripts that may then be used to establish further footholds within the network infrastructure. Organizations may face regulatory compliance violations, data breaches, and reputational damage if this vulnerability is exploited successfully.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-4331 should focus on immediate input validation and output encoding implementations within the affected OctavoCMS components. The primary remediation involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through proper parameter validation and implementing context-aware output encoding before rendering content in the browser. Organizations should apply the latest security patches provided by OctavoCMS developers and implement web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious XSS payloads. Additional protective measures include implementing content security policies that restrict script execution, utilizing secure coding practices that prevent direct parameter injection into HTML output, and conducting regular security audits of web applications. The vulnerability underscores the importance of the principle of least privilege in web application design and highlights the necessity of following secure coding guidelines that align with industry standards such as those specified in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices and the ISO/IEC 27001 information security management framework.