CVE-2017-9361 in WebsiteBaker
Summary
by MITRE
WebsiteBaker v2.10.0 has a stored XSS vulnerability in /account/details.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9361 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within WebsiteBaker version 2.10.0, specifically affecting the /account/details.php endpoint. This issue arises from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before it is stored in the database and subsequently rendered back to users. The vulnerability exists in the account details management functionality where users can input personal information including names, email addresses, and other profile data that gets persisted in the system's backend storage.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input containing javascript code within the account details fields. When this malicious content is stored in the database and later retrieved during page rendering, the unescaped script executes within the context of other users' browsers who view the compromised account information. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payload persists even after the initial injection, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple users over extended periods without requiring repeated exploitation attempts. The flaw directly maps to CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for WebsiteBaker installations as it allows attackers to execute arbitrary javascript code in the browsers of other users who view compromised account details. Attackers could potentially steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious sites, or even deface the website content. The impact extends beyond individual account compromise to potentially enabling broader system infiltration, especially if the affected users have administrative privileges or access to sensitive data. This vulnerability represents a serious threat to user privacy and system integrity, as it enables persistent malicious activities that can evolve over time.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of the WebsiteBaker installation to version 2.10.1 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation at multiple layers including client-side and server-side sanitization, ensuring all user-supplied data undergoes strict filtering before database storage. Output encoding mechanisms must be strengthened to properly escape special characters in all rendered content, particularly in contexts where user data appears in HTML attributes or script contexts. Security headers including Content Security Policy should be implemented to provide additional defense-in-depth measures. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect anomalous user behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing robust security practices throughout the application lifecycle, aligning with ATT&CK techniques that emphasize credential access and execution through web-based attacks.