CVE-2017-9448 in BigTree
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in BigTree CMS through 4.2.18 allow remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the description parameter. This issue exists in core\admin\ajax\pages\save-revision.php and core\admin\modules\pages\revisions.php. Low-privileged (administrator) users can attack high-privileged (Developer) users.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9448 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within BigTree CMS versions up to 4.2.18. This security weakness resides in the administrative interface components that handle page revision management, specifically affecting the save-revision.php and revisions.php files within the core admin jax and modules directories. The vulnerability allows authenticated users with administrator privileges to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content through the description parameter, creating a persistent XSS vector that can compromise user sessions and execute unauthorized actions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the CMS's administrative functions. When administrators interact with the page revision management system, the description parameter fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it back to the browser. This improper handling of user-supplied data creates an environment where malicious scripts can be stored and subsequently executed whenever legitimate users view the affected pages. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the administrative context, allowing low-privileged users to target high-privileged accounts including developers who possess elevated system access rights.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to perform session hijacking, steal authentication tokens, and potentially escalate their privileges within the CMS environment. The fact that low-privileged administrators can target developer accounts creates a significant risk escalation pathway where attackers can leverage their access to manipulate critical system components. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which classifies cross-site scripting as a code injection vulnerability, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices that should prevent untrusted data from being directly rendered in web contexts without proper sanitization.
Security practitioners should note that this vulnerability operates under the ATT&CK framework's technique T1059.001 for command and control through scripting, and T1548.001 for privilege escalation. The attack vector requires authentication but does not need additional privileges beyond what is already granted to the compromised administrator account. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation at the point of data entry, output encoding for all dynamic content, and regular security updates to address the vulnerability. The remediation process should involve thorough code review of all administrative interfaces and implementation of proper parameterized queries or sanitization routines to prevent similar issues in other components of the CMS.