CVE-2015-2250 in concrete5
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in concrete5 before 5.7.4 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) banned_word[] parameter to index.php/dashboard/system/conversations/bannedwords/success, (2) channel parameter to index.php/dashboard/reports/logs/view, (3) accessType parameter to index.php/tools/required/permissions/access_entity, (4) msCountry parameter to index.php/dashboard/system/multilingual/setup/load_icon, arHandle parameter to (5) design/submit or (6) design in index.php/ccm/system/dialogs/area/design/submit, (7) pageURL to index.php/dashboard/pages/single, (8) SEARCH_INDEX_AREA_METHOD parameter to index.php/dashboard/system/seo/searchindex/updated, (9) unit parameter to index.php/dashboard/system/optimization/jobs/job_scheduled, (10) register_notification_email parameter to index.php/dashboard/system/registration/open/1, or (11) PATH_INFO to index.php/dashboard/extend/connect/.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/28/2024
The CVE-2015-2250 vulnerability represents a critical collection of cross-site scripting flaws discovered in the concrete5 content management system prior to version 5.7.4. These vulnerabilities collectively demonstrate a significant weakness in input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the application's web interface, creating multiple attack vectors that could be exploited by remote malicious actors to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of authenticated user sessions. The vulnerability affects core administrative functions and user-facing features, making it particularly dangerous as it could be leveraged to compromise user accounts and potentially gain deeper system access.
The technical exploitation of these XSS vulnerabilities occurs through multiple parameters across different endpoints within the concrete5 administrative interface. Attackers can inject malicious scripts through the banned_word[] parameter in the conversation banned words management section, or through the channel parameter in the system logs reporting functionality. The accessType parameter in the permissions access entity tool, and the msCountry parameter in multilingual setup functions provide additional attack surfaces. The arHandle parameter in area design dialogs, pageURL in single page management, SEARCH_INDEX_AREA_METHOD in SEO settings, unit parameter in job scheduling, register_notification_email in registration settings, and PATH_INFO in extension connection management all represent distinct pathways for malicious code injection. These vulnerabilities map directly to CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The operational impact of these vulnerabilities extends beyond simple script execution, as they enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal user credentials, manipulate administrative functions, and potentially escalate privileges within the concrete5 environment. When authenticated users navigate to pages containing maliciously injected scripts, the attacker's code executes in their browser context, potentially leading to complete account compromise. The attack surface is particularly concerning because many of these parameters are accessible through administrative functions that typically require elevated privileges, meaning that successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain administrative control over the entire concrete5 installation. The vulnerabilities are categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059.007: Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, demonstrating how attackers can leverage web-based scripting languages to establish persistent access and execute malicious operations.
The exploitation of these vulnerabilities requires minimal technical sophistication, as attackers only need to craft malicious payloads that are submitted through the affected parameters. The lack of proper input sanitization means that any user with access to these administrative interfaces can become a vector for XSS attacks. Organizations using concrete5 versions prior to 5.7.4 face significant risk of unauthorized access, data theft, and potential system compromise. The vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in environments where administrative users frequently interact with the web interface, as the attack window is extensive and the impact is severe. Security practitioners should note that these vulnerabilities represent a classic example of how insufficient input validation and output encoding can create persistent security weaknesses that affect multiple components of a web application. The recommended remediation involves upgrading to concrete5 version 5.7.4 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms that prevent malicious script injection. Additionally, implementing proper content security policies and input validation at multiple layers of the application can provide defense in depth against similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities also highlight the importance of regular security assessments and timely patch management, as these flaws were present in widely used versions of the CMS and could be exploited by threat actors with minimal effort to identify the specific attack vectors.