CVE-2014-8539 in Simple Email Form
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Simple Email Form 1.8.5 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the mod_simpleemailform_field2_1 parameter to index.php.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/04/2022
The CVE-2014-8539 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw that affects the Simple Email Form plugin version 1.8.5 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the web application's input validation mechanisms, specifically within the parameter handling logic of the index.php file. The issue manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input passed through the mod_simpleemailform_field2_1 parameter, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability is classified as a server-side input validation failure that directly violates the principle of proper input sanitization and output encoding.
This XSS vulnerability operates through a straightforward attack vector where remote attackers can craft malicious payloads and inject them into the targeted application through the vulnerable parameter. When the application processes this input without adequate filtering or encoding, the malicious script becomes part of the web page content and executes in the browsers of unsuspecting users who view the affected page. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by its location within a form processing component, which typically receives inputs from multiple users, making it particularly dangerous for widespread exploitation. The flaw falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities, and more precisely aligns with CWE-798 which addresses the use of hard-coded credentials, though the primary classification remains as a standard XSS vector.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-8539 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, deface websites, steal sensitive cookies, and redirect users to malicious domains. In a broader security context, this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding practices that align with the OWASP Top Ten security principles. The vulnerability's exploitation can lead to complete compromise of user sessions, particularly if the affected application handles sensitive information or authentication mechanisms. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to create persistent backdoors, harvest user credentials, or conduct phishing attacks against other users of the same application. The vulnerability also represents a significant risk to web application security posture as it indicates poor security coding practices and inadequate sanitization of user inputs, which are fundamental requirements for web application security.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-8539 should focus on immediate patching of the affected Simple Email Form plugin to version 1.8.6 or later, which contains the necessary input validation fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization measures that include proper HTML encoding of all user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages, and employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit script execution capabilities. The remediation approach should also include regular security assessments of web applications, implementation of web application firewalls, and adherence to secure coding practices that prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other components. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning tools and regular penetration testing to identify and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited in real-world scenarios, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's web application exploitation techniques.