CVE-2017-7202 in SLiMS 7 Cendana
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) were discovered in SLiMS 7 Cendana before 2017-03-16. The vulnerabilities exist due to insufficient filtration of user-supplied data (id) passed to the 'slims7_cendana-master/template/default/detail_template.php' and 'slims7_cendana-master/template/default-rtl/detail_template.php' URLs. An attacker could execute arbitrary HTML and script code in a browser in the context of the vulnerable website.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2022
The vulnerability CVE-2017-7202 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in SLiMS 7 Cendana version prior to 2017-03-16, specifically affecting the web application's template handling mechanisms. This vulnerability resides within the detail_template.php files located in both the default and default-rtl template directories, making it particularly concerning as it impacts multiple interface configurations. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization processes that fail to properly filter user-supplied data, particularly the 'id' parameter that is passed through the URL to these vulnerable endpoints. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities where web applications fail to properly validate or escape user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input containing HTML or JavaScript code and passes it through the 'id' parameter to the affected detail_template.php URLs. When the application processes this input without proper sanitization, the malicious code gets executed within the browser context of legitimate users who visit the affected pages. This allows attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, defacement of web content, redirection to malicious sites, and potentially more sophisticated attacks like credential theft or privilege escalation within the application context. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic lack of proper output encoding and input validation that violates fundamental web application security principles.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and trustworthiness of the SLiMS 7 Cendana system. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to inject malicious scripts that could steal user sessions, modify content displayed to other users, or redirect them to phishing sites designed to capture credentials. The vulnerability affects both the default and RTL (right-to-left) template versions, indicating a systemic issue within the application's template processing logic rather than isolated component failure. This widespread impact suggests that the input sanitization mechanism is implemented at a core level rather than being properly applied at each vulnerable endpoint, making the attack surface larger than initially apparent.
Security practitioners should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, starting with immediate patching of affected SLiMS 7 Cendana installations to version 2017-03-16 or later. The remediation process should include comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms that prevent any potentially malicious code from being executed in the browser context. Implementing Content Security Policy headers and proper HTML escaping techniques would provide additional protection layers. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns and establish regular security auditing processes to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top 10 and NIST guidelines for preventing cross-site scripting attacks. This case serves as a reminder that even seemingly simple input parameters can create significant security risks when proper validation mechanisms are not implemented throughout the application lifecycle.