CVE-2018-10052 in Supportdesk
Summary
by MITRE
iScripts SupportDesk v4.3 has XSS via the admin/inteligentsearchresult.php txtinteligentsearch parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/24/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-10052 affects iScripts SupportDesk version 4.3 and represents a cross-site scripting flaw that specifically targets the administrative interface of the application. This issue resides within the admin/inteligentsearchresult.php script where the txtinteligentsearch parameter is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered in the web page output. The vulnerability allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts into the application's response, which can then be executed in the context of other users' browsers who access the affected page. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, making it a critical security concern for any system that processes user input without proper validation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a malicious payload that includes script code within the txtinteligentsearch parameter when making requests to the vulnerable endpoint. When the application processes this input and displays it without proper encoding or sanitization, the injected scripts execute in the browser of any user who views the search results page. This creates a persistent threat vector that can be leveraged for session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices and highlights the importance of implementing proper output encoding mechanisms, particularly in administrative interfaces where elevated privileges can be compromised.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to the support desk administration system. An attacker could potentially steal administrator sessions, modify system configurations, access sensitive customer data, or even inject backdoors into the application. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that this affects the administrative interface of a support desk system, which typically contains sensitive information about customers and business operations. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers scripting languages and T1566.001 which covers spearphishing attachments, as it enables attackers to establish persistent access through client-side exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-10052 should include immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application code. The txtinteligentsearch parameter must be sanitized to remove or encode any potentially malicious content before being processed or displayed. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities and deploy web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parameters or scripts within the application. The fix should follow secure coding practices outlined in OWASP Top 10 and should be validated through penetration testing to ensure the vulnerability has been properly remediated. Organizations using iScripts SupportDesk should also consider upgrading to a patched version of the software to address this and other potential vulnerabilities that may exist in the affected product version.