CVE-2016-10778 in cPanel
Summary
by MITRE
cPanel before 60.0.25 allows self stored XSS in the listftpstable API (SEC-178).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10778 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within cPanel software versions prior to 60.0.25. This security weakness specifically affects the listftpstable API endpoint, which is commonly used for managing and displaying FTP account information within the cPanel administrative interface. The vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental web application security concern that enables attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the cPanel application fails to properly sanitize user input before storing and subsequently rendering it within the FTP account listing interface. Attackers can exploit this weakness by creating or modifying FTP account entries with malicious script payloads in fields that are later displayed in the listftpstable API output. When other administrators or users view the FTP account listings, the stored malicious scripts execute in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized administrative actions. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates as a stored XSS attack rather than a reflected one, meaning the malicious code persists in the application's database and affects multiple users over time.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to administrative functions within the cPanel environment. Security professionals should recognize this as a significant threat vector that could compromise entire hosting environments where multiple users rely on the same cPanel instance. The attack surface is particularly concerning in shared hosting environments where multiple customers share the same administrative interface, as a single compromised account could potentially affect all users on that server. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, and represents a critical weakness in the application's input validation and output sanitization processes that directly violates security best practices for web application development.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-10778 should prioritize immediate patching of affected cPanel installations to version 60.0.25 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the stored XSS vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding measures to prevent similar issues in other applications, particularly focusing on the principle of least privilege for FTP account management functions. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and additional monitoring for suspicious API calls that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of regular security updates and proper input sanitization practices, as outlined in OWASP Top Ten security requirements. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their cPanel installations to identify any other potential stored XSS vulnerabilities in similar API endpoints, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly validated and sanitized before being stored or rendered in web interfaces.