CVE-2017-8376 in GeniXCMS
Summary
by MITRE
GeniXCMS 1.0.2 has XSS triggered by an authenticated comment that is mishandled during a mouse operation by an administrator.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8376 affects GeniXCMS version 1.0.2 and represents a cross-site scripting flaw that manifests through authenticated user comments. This issue specifically occurs when administrators interact with mouse operations on comments submitted by authenticated users, creating a potential attack vector that leverages the administrative privileges of the CMS. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79 which represents Cross-site Scripting flaws, making it a critical concern for web application security. The flaw demonstrates how user input can be improperly sanitized when processed during administrative interactions, particularly during mouse-related operations such as hovering, clicking, or selecting comment elements within the CMS interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of comment data that is submitted by authenticated users and subsequently processed by the CMS administration interface. When administrators perform mouse operations on these comments, the system fails to adequately sanitize or escape the comment content before rendering it in the administrative context. This allows malicious users to inject malicious scripts through comment submissions that can then be executed in the context of the administrator's browser session. The vulnerability requires authentication to exploit, as it specifically targets the administrative interface and relies on authenticated users to create the malicious comment content that will later be processed by administrators.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-8376 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to administrative functions within the CMS. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers Scripting through the execution of malicious scripts in the context of an authenticated administrator. The attack chain typically begins with an authenticated user submitting a malicious comment containing crafted script payloads, followed by an administrator performing mouse operations on the comment, which triggers the execution of the malicious script. This can result in session hijacking, data exfiltration, or complete compromise of the CMS administrative interface. The vulnerability represents a significant risk to content management system security as it exploits the trust relationship between administrators and user-generated content.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and output sanitization mechanisms throughout the CMS. The primary defense involves proper escaping of user input before rendering it in administrative contexts, particularly during mouse operation events. Security measures should include implementing Content Security Policy headers to prevent script execution, employing proper HTML escaping techniques, and validating all user-submitted content against established security patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing rate limiting and monitoring for suspicious comment patterns, as well as ensuring that CMS updates are applied promptly to address known vulnerabilities. The remediation approach should align with the principle of least privilege by restricting administrative mouse operations on potentially malicious content and implementing comprehensive logging to detect and respond to exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in the CMS and its associated components.