CVE-2017-17889 in Kliqqi
Summary
by MITRE
Kliqqi CMS 3.5.2 has XSS via a crafted group name in pligg/groups.php, a crafted Homepage string in a profile, or a crafted string in Tags or Description within pligg/submit.php.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/30/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17889 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the Kliqqi Content Management System version 3.5.2. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before rendering it within web pages. The flaw manifests across multiple entry points within the application's user interface, creating multiple attack vectors that adversaries can exploit to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects core user interaction features including group management, user profiles, and content submission processes, making it a critical security risk for any deployment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows a classic XSS pattern where user-controllable input is directly incorporated into dynamic web content without proper sanitization. When a user creates or modifies a group name through pligg/groups.php, submits a homepage string in their profile, or enters data into tags or description fields within pligg/submit.php, the application fails to adequately filter or encode these inputs. This allows attackers to inject malicious javascript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers when they view pages containing the compromised data. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments or links. The attack requires minimal privileges as it targets the application's user input handling rather than system-level access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious sites. An attacker could craft a group name containing javascript that steals session cookies from users who view the group page, or inject code that redirects users to phishing sites. The vulnerability's presence in profile pages also means that even users who do not actively create content can become victims when they view compromised user profiles. The impact is particularly severe in environments where users trust the application's content and where administrators have elevated privileges that could be compromised through session takeover attacks. The vulnerability affects the application's integrity and availability, potentially leading to complete compromise of user sessions and data breaches.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-17889 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied data using proper HTML entity encoding before rendering it in web pages, implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, and employing strict input validation that rejects or removes potentially malicious characters. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns, and conduct regular security testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other input handling areas. The fix requires updating to a patched version of Kliqqi CMS, as the vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in the application's data handling architecture that cannot be adequately mitigated through configuration changes alone. Security teams should also implement monitoring for suspicious user activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts and ensure proper user access controls to limit the impact of potential compromises.