CVE-2018-0574 in BaserCMS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability in baserCMS (baserCMS 4.1.0.1 and earlier versions, baserCMS 3.0.15 and earlier versions) allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2020
The CVE-2018-0574 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the baserCMS content management system affecting versions 4.1.0.1 and earlier, as well as 3.0.15 and earlier releases. This vulnerability resides in the core web application framework and enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers. The unspecified vectors suggest that the flaw could potentially exist across multiple input handling mechanisms within the CMS, making the attack surface particularly broad and difficult to predict.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where a web application fails to properly validate or escape user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamic web content. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code through various input points, potentially compromising user sessions, stealing sensitive data, or redirecting users to malicious sites. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or local network privileges to exploit this weakness.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-0574 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable more sophisticated attacks within the context of the CMS environment. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to manipulate administrative panels, inject backdoors, or conduct session hijacking attacks against authenticated users. The presence of this vulnerability in widely used CMS versions creates significant risk for organizations relying on baserCMS for their web presence, particularly those with user-generated content features or administrative interfaces that process untrusted input. The vulnerability could be exploited through various attack vectors including but not limited to comment forms, contact pages, user profile inputs, or any other mechanism that accepts user input without proper sanitization.
From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1566 (Phishing) techniques, as attackers could use the XSS capability to deliver malicious payloads or establish initial access through phishing campaigns. The vulnerability also relates to T1584 (Compromise Infrastructure) as attackers might use compromised CMS instances to host additional malicious content. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent this vulnerability, including the adoption of Content Security Policy headers and regular security audits of web applications. The recommended remediation includes upgrading to patched versions of baserCMS, implementing proper input sanitization, and conducting thorough penetration testing to identify potential variants of this vulnerability within the application's codebase.