CVE-2016-3971 in dotCMS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in lucene_search.jsp in dotCMS before 3.5.1 allows remote authenticated administrators to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the query parameter to c/portal/layout.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3971 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the dotCMS content management system affecting versions prior to 3.5.1. This security weakness resides in the lucene_search.jsp component and specifically targets authenticated administrator users who possess the ability to access the c/portal/layout endpoint. The flaw enables attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information or system compromise.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the query parameter within the c/portal/layout URL structure. When authenticated administrators navigate to this specific endpoint with maliciously crafted input in the query parameter, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape the user-supplied data before rendering it within the web page context. This lack of input validation and output encoding creates an avenue for attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the browser of other users who access the affected page. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is a fundamental web application security weakness that has been consistently ranked among the top ten web application security risks by the OWASP Top Ten project.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection as it provides attackers with a potential foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the dotCMS environment. An authenticated administrator with malicious intent could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of other users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. The attack vector specifically targets administrator accounts, which typically possess elevated privileges within the CMS, making the potential damage significantly greater than if the vulnerability were exploitable by regular users. This weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, as the attack involves the execution of malicious JavaScript code within the victim's browser environment.
Organizations running dotCMS versions prior to 3.5.1 face substantial risk from this vulnerability, particularly in environments where administrative accounts are frequently used or where the application handles sensitive data. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it requires only authentication to exploit, meaning that an attacker who has obtained administrator credentials can immediately leverage this flaw. The remediation strategy involves upgrading to dotCMS version 3.5.1 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and output encoding measures to prevent the injection of malicious scripts. Additionally, implementing proper web application firewall rules to filter malicious input patterns and conducting regular security assessments of web applications can help mitigate the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in preventing XSS attacks, aligning with security best practices outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO/IEC 27001 standards for information security management.