CVE-2015-1575 in U5cms
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in u5CMS before 3.9.4 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) c, (2) i, (3) l, or (4) p parameter to index.php; the (5) a or (6) b parameter to u5admin/cookie.php; the name parameter to (7) copy.php or (8) delete.php in u5admin/; the (9) f or (10) typ parameter to u5admin/deletefile.php; the (11) n parameter to u5admin/done.php; the (12) c parameter to u5admin/editor.php; the (13) uri parameter to u5admin/meta2.php; the (14) n parameter to u5admin/notdone.php; the (15) newname parameter to u5admin/rename2.php; the (16) l parameter to u5admin/sendfile.php; the (17) s parameter to u5admin/characters.php; the (18) page parameter to u5admin/savepage.php; or the (19) name parameter to u5admin/new2.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1575 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting u5CMS versions prior to 3.9.4, demonstrating a fundamental failure in input validation and output sanitization within the content management system. This vulnerability classifies under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities, where web applications fail to properly validate or escape user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic web pages. The flaw exists across multiple endpoints within the CMS administration interface, creating an extensive attack surface that could be exploited by remote adversaries to execute malicious scripts in the context of victims' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the improper handling of user input parameters across various php scripts within the u5CMS framework. Attackers can inject malicious payloads through nineteen distinct parameter vectors including c, i, l, p, a, b, name, f, typ, n, c, uri, n, newname, l, s, page, and name parameters across different administrative scripts. These parameters are directly processed and reflected in web responses without adequate sanitization or encoding, allowing attackers to craft malicious URLs that, when executed by unsuspecting users, would trigger script execution in their browser context. The vulnerability particularly affects the administrative backend functionality, making it a significant concern for system administrators who frequently interact with these scripts.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-1575 extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with potential access to administrative functions and user data. When exploited, these XSS vulnerabilities could enable attackers to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of authenticated users, redirect victims to malicious sites, or even escalate privileges within the CMS environment. The attack vectors span across multiple administrative scripts, making it difficult for organizations to implement comprehensive protection measures and increasing the likelihood of successful exploitation. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering attacks including phishing and malicious file delivery through web-based attacks.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the remediation measures recommended by the vendor, including upgrading to u5CMS version 3.9.4 or later where the XSS vulnerabilities have been patched. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-facing parameters would provide defense-in-depth against similar vulnerabilities. Security measures should include the implementation of Content Security Policy headers, regular security audits of web applications, and comprehensive input sanitization practices. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of validating all user inputs and properly escaping output data to prevent XSS attacks, particularly in web applications handling administrative functions where the potential for privilege escalation exists. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular penetration testing to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in their web applications.