CVE-2017-6555 in CMS Made Simple
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in /admin/moduleinterface.php in CMS Made Simple 2.1.6 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the m1_description parameter (aka "Design Manager > Categories > Category Description").
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/29/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6555 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the CMS Made Simple content management system version 2.1.6. This security weakness resides in the administrative module interface, specifically in the moduleinterface.php file, where unfiltered user input is processed without adequate sanitization mechanisms. The vulnerability affects the Design Manager section of the CMS, particularly when managing categories and their associated descriptions, making it accessible to authenticated users who possess administrative privileges within the system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the m1_description parameter, which serves as an input field for category descriptions within the CMS administration panel. When authenticated users submit malicious content through this parameter, the application fails to properly validate or sanitize the input before rendering it in the web interface. This lack of input sanitization creates a persistent XSS vector that allows attackers to inject arbitrary HTML code or JavaScript payloads into the application's response. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the administrative context, where attackers can leverage their elevated privileges to execute malicious scripts against other administrators or end users who view the affected pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform various malicious activities within the compromised environment. An attacker could craft malicious scripts that steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, modify content displayed to other administrators, or even execute commands on behalf of the CMS. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the administrative interface, potentially allowing for privilege escalation attacks or complete system compromise. Given that this affects the design manager functionality, attackers could manipulate the visual presentation of the website or inject malicious code that persists across user sessions, making the attack surface particularly dangerous for web applications relying on CMS Made Simple.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes the common weakness of cross-site scripting in web applications. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices and inadequate output encoding mechanisms that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving command and control communications, credential access, and privilege escalation through web application exploitation. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, output encoding, and proper parameter sanitization within the affected module. Additionally, regular security updates and patch management procedures should be enforced to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in the CMS ecosystem. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining secure coding practices and regular security assessments of administrative interfaces to protect against persistent threats that could compromise entire web applications.