CVE-2017-20060 in Elefant
Summary
by MITRE • 06/20/2022
A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, was found in Elefant CMS 1.3.12-RC. This affects an unknown part of the component Blog Post Handler. The manipulation leads to basic cross site scripting (Persistent). It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. Upgrading to version 1.3.13 is able to address this issue. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/24/2026
This vulnerability in Elefant CMS 1.3.12-RC represents a persistent cross site scripting flaw within the Blog Post Handler component that poses significant security risks to web applications utilizing this content management system. The vulnerability classification as problematic indicates a substantial threat level given that it allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist in the application's database and execute whenever affected pages are loaded by users. The attack vector is remote, meaning malicious actors can exploit this weakness without requiring physical access to the server or direct user interaction beyond visiting compromised web pages. This persistent nature of the vulnerability means that once injected, the malicious payloads remain active until explicitly removed through system updates or manual intervention, creating prolonged exposure windows for potential exploitation.
The technical implementation of this cross site scripting vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the blog post handling functionality. When users submit content through the blog post handler, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before storing it in the database and subsequently rendering it on web pages. This failure creates an environment where malicious scripts can be stored as part of legitimate content and executed in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected blog posts. The vulnerability specifically impacts the Blog Post Handler component, suggesting that the input processing logic for blog-related data lacks proper security controls to prevent script injection attacks.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary code in victims' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of content management systems, or redirection to malicious websites. The persistent nature means that even if individual users are not immediately affected, the malicious scripts remain embedded in the system and will continue to impact any visitor who accesses the compromised blog posts until the system is upgraded to version 1.3.13 or later. This creates a cascading effect where each user who views the infected content becomes a potential vector for further propagation of malicious activities within the application ecosystem.
The mitigation strategy involves upgrading to Elefant CMS version 1.3.13, which contains patches addressing this specific vulnerability. This upgrade process should be prioritized as a critical security measure for any organization running affected systems. Additionally, administrators should implement immediate defensive measures such as monitoring web application logs for unusual access patterns, implementing content security policies to limit script execution, and conducting thorough audits of existing blog content to identify and remove any potentially compromised posts. The recommended upgrade path aligns with industry best practices for vulnerability remediation and follows the principle of least privilege by ensuring that all system components operate with current security patches.
This vulnerability type maps directly to CWE-79 which defines Cross-site Scripting as a weakness where applications fail to properly validate or encode user input before rendering it in web pages. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1566 - Phishing and T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter, indicating that attackers can leverage such vulnerabilities to establish persistent access through malicious script execution. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls as additional defensive layers and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities across their entire application portfolio. The remediation process must include thorough testing of the upgrade procedure to ensure that existing blog content remains intact while eliminating the security risk posed by this persistent cross site scripting vulnerability.