CVE-2017-11202 in FineCMS
Summary
by MITRE
FineCMS through 2017-07-12 allows XSS in visitors.php because JavaScript in visited URLs is not restricted either during logging or during the reading of logs, a different vulnerability than CVE-2017-11180.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/25/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-11202 affects FineCMS versions up to 2017-07-12 and represents a cross-site scripting vulnerability that occurs within the visitors.php component of the application. This flaw enables attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code through visited URLs, creating a persistent security risk that extends beyond simple request manipulation. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize or restrict JavaScript content during both the logging process and subsequent log reading operations, making it a comprehensive weakness that affects the entire visitor tracking mechanism.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the visitors.php script. When users navigate to pages within the CMS, their URLs are recorded in log files without proper JavaScript filtering mechanisms. This oversight allows malicious actors to craft URLs containing embedded script tags or other JavaScript payloads that get executed when administrators or other users view the visitor logs. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of data persistence and execution, where malicious code stored in log files becomes active when displayed to users with appropriate privileges.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations using affected FineCMS versions. Attackers can leverage this weakness to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of administrator sessions, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or data exfiltration. The persistence aspect of this vulnerability means that malicious scripts remain active in the logs until manually removed, creating ongoing exposure windows. Additionally, the vulnerability affects not just the immediate execution environment but also the broader application security posture, as visitor logs often contain sensitive information about user behavior and system access patterns.
The security implications extend beyond immediate code execution to encompass potential privilege escalation and data compromise scenarios. When administrators view visitor logs containing malicious JavaScript, the scripts can manipulate the browser environment to perform actions such as stealing cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or executing additional attacks against the application. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 Cross-site Scripting (XSS) which specifically addresses the improper handling of untrusted data in web applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a technique for code injection and privilege escalation through web application vulnerabilities, where adversaries exploit input validation flaws to gain unauthorized access to privileged functions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms throughout the visitors.php component. Organizations should ensure that all URL parameters and visitor data are properly escaped or filtered before being stored in log files or displayed to users. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution in log displays, while regular log file monitoring should be established to detect and remove malicious entries. Additionally, the application should enforce strict validation of URL formats and reject any input containing suspicious JavaScript patterns. Regular security updates and patches should be applied immediately upon availability, as this vulnerability affects a specific version range that has been identified as problematic. The remediation process should include thorough code review of all logging mechanisms to ensure that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other components of the CMS.