CVE-2017-7257 in CMS Made Simple
Summary
by MITRE
XSS exists in the CMS Made Simple (CMSMS) 2.1.6 "Content-->News-->Add Article" feature via the m1_content parameter. Someone must login to conduct the attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/30/2019
The vulnerability CVE-2017-7257 represents a cross-site scripting flaw discovered in CMS Made Simple version 2.1.6 within its news management functionality. This security weakness specifically affects the "Content-->News-->Add Article" feature where user input is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to users. The vulnerability manifests through the m1_content parameter which handles content submission for news articles. The flaw requires authentication to exploit, meaning an attacker must first obtain valid user credentials to carry out the attack, typically targeting administrative or content editor accounts with sufficient privileges.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a stored XSS variant where malicious script code can be permanently stored on the server and executed whenever the affected page is accessed. The attack vector involves an authenticated user submitting malicious JavaScript code through the m1_content parameter during article creation. When other users view the affected news article, the malicious script executes in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation and output encoding practices within the CMSMS application.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-7257 extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges within the CMS environment. Successful exploitation allows threat actors to manipulate content, potentially injecting malicious links or code that can compromise other users within the organization. The requirement for authentication reduces the attack surface compared to fully public vulnerabilities but still represents a significant risk in environments where administrative credentials might be compromised through phishing, credential reuse, or other attack vectors. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on CMSMS for content management where multiple users have administrative access to news and content features.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-7257 should focus on immediate patching of CMS Made Simple to version 2.1.7 or later where the XSS vulnerability has been addressed. Organizations should implement strict input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent malicious script injection regardless of patch status. Network segmentation and privilege separation can reduce the impact of credential compromise by limiting administrative access to essential personnel only. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual content submission patterns and automated scanning for similar XSS vulnerabilities in other CMSMS features. Regular security assessments and user access reviews should be conducted to maintain defense-in-depth measures against authenticated attack vectors. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper sanitization of user inputs and adherence to secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top 10 and NIST cybersecurity guidelines.