CVE-2017-17958 in PHP Multivendor Ecommerce
Summary
by MITRE
PHP Scripts Mall PHP Multivendor Ecommerce has XSS via the my_wishlist.php fid parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/28/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17958 affects PHP Scripts Mall PHP Multivendor Ecommerce platforms and represents a cross-site scripting flaw that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. This particular vulnerability manifests through the my_wishlist.php script where the fid parameter is not properly sanitized or validated, creating an entry point for malicious input that can be executed in the context of other users' browsers. The flaw falls under the category of persistent cross-site scripting as it allows attackers to inject code that will be executed whenever victims access the affected page or interact with the malicious content within the wishlist functionality.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices within the PHP application code. When the fid parameter is passed to the my_wishlist.php script without proper sanitization, the application fails to escape or validate the input before incorporating it into dynamic web page content. This allows an attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code that gets stored and subsequently executed when other users view their wishlists or interact with the affected functionality. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the application layer where user-generated content is processed and displayed, making it a prime target for exploitation in web-based attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection as it provides attackers with the ability to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious websites. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal user sessions, potentially gaining unauthorized access to customer accounts and administrative functions within the ecommerce platform. The attack surface is amplified by the fact that wishlist functionality is typically accessed by authenticated users, meaning that successful exploitation could provide attackers with access to sensitive user data, purchase histories, and potentially financial information. This vulnerability directly aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws and represents a critical security weakness in web application input handling.
Security practitioners should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability and similar XSS flaws within web applications. The primary mitigation strategy involves implementing proper input validation and output encoding techniques that ensure all user-supplied data is sanitized before being processed or displayed. This includes implementing strict validation of the fid parameter to reject potentially malicious input and applying appropriate HTML escaping or encoding when rendering user content. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies that restrict the execution of inline scripts and limit the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Additionally, regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual code review should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in the application code. The remediation efforts should align with industry best practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks, which emphasize the importance of secure input handling and output encoding in preventing cross-site scripting attacks. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper security controls at all levels of application development and the necessity of regular security assessments to identify and address potential attack vectors before they can be exploited by malicious actors.