CVE-2017-6808 in MaNGOSWebV4
Summary
by MITRE
paintballrefjosh/MaNGOSWebV4 4.0.8 is vulnerable to a reflected XSS in inc/admin/template_files/admin.faq.php (id parameter).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/06/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6808 affects the paintballrefjosh/MaNGOSWebV4 version 4.0.8 web application, specifically targeting the admin.faq.php file within the template_files directory. This represents a critical security flaw that exposes the application to reflected cross-site scripting attacks, potentially allowing attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of authenticated admin users. The vulnerability manifests through the id parameter which is improperly handled within the admin.faq.php script, creating an opening for malicious input to be reflected back to users without adequate sanitization or encoding measures.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the web application's admin interface. When an attacker crafts a malicious payload and injects it through the id parameter, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape the input before rendering it in the response. This reflected XSS vulnerability operates by tricking administrators into executing malicious scripts through crafted URLs that contain the malicious payload, which is then executed in the browser of any user who visits the compromised page. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 which involves exploiting web applications to execute malicious code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with the capability to escalate privileges and potentially gain full administrative control over the affected web application. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, execute unauthorized administrative actions, modify content, or redirect users to malicious sites. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the attack requires user interaction through a crafted link, but once executed, it can have significant consequences for the application's security posture and the integrity of the data it manages. The vulnerability affects the web application's authentication and authorization mechanisms, potentially compromising the entire administrative interface.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-6808 should prioritize immediate input validation and output encoding implementations within the affected application components. All user-supplied input parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation, must be properly sanitized and encoded before being rendered in web responses. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. Additionally, the affected version of MaNGOSWebV4 should be updated to a patched version if available, or the application should be migrated to a more secure framework that properly handles user input validation and output encoding. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of implementing proper security controls at all layers of web application development, particularly in administrative interfaces where elevated privileges can lead to complete system compromise.