CVE-2017-5876 in dotCMS
Summary
by MITRE
XSS was discovered in dotCMS 3.7.0, with an unauthenticated attack against the /news-events/events date parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/11/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5876 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within dotCMS version 3.7.0 that specifically targets the /news-events/events endpoint. This issue manifests when the date parameter is manipulated by an unauthenticated attacker, creating a pathway for malicious code execution within the context of affected user browsers. The vulnerability resides in the application's input validation mechanisms, where user-supplied data from the date parameter fails to undergo proper sanitization before being rendered in web responses.
This XSS vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration classification of CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications. The attack vector leverages the fact that the dotCMS application does not adequately filter or escape user-controllable input parameters before incorporating them into dynamic web content. The date parameter in question likely serves as a query string value that gets directly embedded into HTML output without sufficient sanitization measures, making it susceptible to injection attacks. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that execute within the browser context of legitimate users who access the vulnerable endpoint.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it can enable attackers to perform a range of malicious activities including but not limited to cookie theft, redirection to malicious sites, defacement of content, and potential privilege escalation within the application's context. Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this vulnerability without requiring any prior credentials or access rights, making it particularly dangerous for public-facing web applications. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the web application's data presentation layer, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate the user experience and compromise the security posture of the entire content management system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-5876 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-controllable parameters within the dotCMS application. The recommended approach includes implementing proper HTML entity encoding for all dynamic content, establishing comprehensive parameter validation routines, and deploying Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of malicious scripts. Additionally, upgrading to patched versions of dotCMS that address this vulnerability is essential, as the vendor likely released security updates containing proper sanitization routines for the affected endpoints. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems to detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability pattern. The remediation process should include thorough code review of all input handling mechanisms within the application's news and events modules, ensuring that proper sanitization techniques are applied to prevent similar issues from occurring in other parts of the system.