CVE-2017-8052 in Craft
Summary
by MITRE
Craft CMS before 2.6.2974 allows XSS attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8052 represents a cross-site scripting flaw in Craft CMS versions prior to 2.6.2974, exposing web applications built on this content management platform to significant security risks. This vulnerability specifically affects the way the CMS handles user input within its administrative interface, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The flaw exists in the sanitization and rendering mechanisms that process content submitted through the CMS's user interface, particularly when dealing with certain types of input that should be properly escaped or validated before being displayed to end users.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within Craft CMS's content processing pipeline. When administrators or content creators submit data containing potentially malicious script tags or other harmful code constructs, the system fails to properly sanitize this input before rendering it in the browser context. This occurs primarily in areas where the CMS processes user-generated content for display in administrative panels or public-facing pages. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications, making it a direct descendant of the well-known OWASP Top Ten security risk category. The flaw allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of a victim's browser session, potentially enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or other malicious activities that compromise user security.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-8052 extends beyond simple data corruption or display issues, as it can lead to complete compromise of user sessions and potentially full system infiltration. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gain access to administrative privileges if they can target an administrator's session, or they could inject malicious scripts that persist across multiple user interactions. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill and can be executed through standard web application attack vectors, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users interact with the CMS. This flaw particularly affects organizations that rely heavily on Craft CMS for content management, as it undermines the trust model that users place in the platform's security mechanisms. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213, which covers data from information repositories, as successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive content and user data stored within the CMS.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies including updating to Craft CMS version 2.6.2974 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the XSS vulnerability. Additionally, administrators should review and strengthen their input validation processes, implement proper output encoding for all user-generated content, and consider deploying web application firewalls to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The remediation process should also include comprehensive security testing of the CMS environment to identify any potential secondary effects from the vulnerability, such as compromised user sessions or unauthorized access to sensitive data. Security teams should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments to ensure that similar issues do not arise from other components within their web application stack, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices in content management systems.