CVE-2017-17826 in Piwigo
Summary
by MITRE
The Configuration component of Piwigo 2.9.2 is vulnerable to Persistent Cross Site Scripting via the gallery_title parameter in an admin.php?page=configuration§ion=main request. An attacker can exploit this to hijack a client's browser along with the data stored in it.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17826 resides within the Configuration component of Piwigo version 2.9.2, representing a critical security flaw that enables persistent cross-site scripting attacks. This vulnerability specifically targets the gallery_title parameter within the admin.php?page=configuration§ion=main request structure, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious scripts that persist across user sessions and system interactions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the administrative configuration interface. When administrators or authenticated users interact with the gallery title configuration setting, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it back to the browser. This creates an environment where malicious script code can be stored in the application's database and subsequently executed whenever the affected page is accessed by any user with appropriate privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to hijack user sessions and access sensitive data stored within the browser context. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute malicious scripts in the context of the victim's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, data exfiltration, and unauthorized access to administrative functions. The persistent nature of the vulnerability means that once exploited, the malicious code continues to execute whenever the affected page is loaded, making it particularly dangerous for long-term compromise.
This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79 which describes Cross-Site Scripting flaws, specifically categorized as persistent XSS attacks where malicious scripts are stored on the server and executed against multiple users. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers Phishing with Malicious Attachments, and T1071.001 which involves Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols. The persistence aspect of the vulnerability corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1547.001 for Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder, though in this case the persistence occurs through database storage rather than registry modifications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of the Piwigo application to version 2.9.3 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and output encoding for the gallery title parameter. Administrators should also implement comprehensive input validation measures that filter and sanitize all user-supplied data before storage, particularly for administrative configuration settings. Additionally, regular security audits of web applications should include thorough testing of all input fields within administrative interfaces to identify similar persistent XSS vulnerabilities. Network monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be configured to detect anomalous script execution patterns, while implementing content security policies can provide additional protection against script injection attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing principle of least privilege access controls for administrative functions to limit the potential damage from successful exploitation of such vulnerabilities.