CVE-2017-15219 in dotCMS
Summary
by MITRE
The dotCMS 4.1.1 application is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) affecting a vanity-urls Title field, a containers Description field, and a templates Description field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/23/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15219 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within the dotCMS 4.1.1 content management platform. This security weakness manifests in three distinct areas of the application where user input is improperly sanitized before being stored and subsequently rendered back to users. The affected fields include the vanity-urls Title field, containers Description field, and templates Description field, all of which serve as potential entry points for malicious script injection. Stored XSS vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because the malicious payloads are permanently stored on the server and executed whenever affected pages are accessed by unsuspecting users, making them persistent threats that can affect multiple victims over extended periods.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the dotCMS application framework. When administrators or content creators enter data into the specified fields, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This omission allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that are then stored in the database and executed in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')", specifically manifesting as a stored XSS variant where the malicious code persists beyond the initial user interaction. The flaw demonstrates poor secure coding practices in input handling and output sanitization, which are fundamental requirements for preventing XSS attacks according to industry standards.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the compromised environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of authenticated users' browsers, leading to session manipulation, credential theft, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation. The persistence of stored XSS makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users regularly access the affected pages, as the malicious code executes automatically whenever users view the compromised content. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for "Phishing with Social Engineering" and T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript", as it enables attackers to establish persistent command execution capabilities through browser-based attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-15219 should prioritize immediate patching of the dotCMS application to the latest secure version that addresses the XSS vulnerabilities in the affected fields. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms that sanitize all user-provided data before storage and rendering, with particular attention to the vanity-urls Title, containers Description, and templates Description fields. The implementation of Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures by restricting the sources from which scripts can be executed within the application. Regular security testing including automated vulnerability scanning and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar issues in other application components. According to OWASP Top Ten 2021, this vulnerability falls under the category of injection flaws, specifically XSS, which requires robust input sanitization and output encoding controls. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while user education regarding suspicious content and phishing attempts remains crucial for overall security posture. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper secure coding practices and regular security updates as mandated by ISO/IEC 27001 and NIST cybersecurity frameworks.