CVE-2018-10135 in eSwap
Summary
by MITRE
iScripts eSwap v2.4 has Reflected XSS via the "catwiseproducts.php" catid parameter in the User Panel.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-10135 resides within iScripts eSwap version 2.4, specifically within the User Panel functionality of this online marketplace platform. This system facilitates the exchange of products between users and includes various parameters for navigation and filtering of product listings. The vulnerability manifests as a reflected cross-site scripting flaw that occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize user input passed through the catid parameter in the catwiseproducts.php script. This particular endpoint serves to display products within specific categories, making it a critical pathway for user interaction with the platform's product catalog.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing malicious script code within the catid parameter value. When a victim user clicks such a link and the application processes the request without adequate input validation or output encoding, the malicious script gets executed within the victim's browser context. The reflected nature of this XSS vulnerability means that the malicious payload is reflected off the web server rather than being stored on the server, making it a server-side input validation issue rather than a persistent storage vulnerability. This flaw operates under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting as a critical web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with a foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the user context. An attacker could potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, perform actions on behalf of users, or even harvest sensitive information from the user's browser session. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it can be delivered through social engineering tactics such as phishing emails or malicious links shared in forums, making it difficult to trace and prevent. The vulnerability affects the entire user panel functionality and could potentially compromise user accounts, especially if the application does not implement proper session management or if users are authenticated when accessing the vulnerable endpoint.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input parameters including the catid parameter in catwiseproducts.php before processing or displaying any data. This includes implementing proper HTML escaping and encoding of output to prevent script execution in the browser context. The application should also employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the sources from which scripts can be loaded and executed. Additionally, implementing proper parameter validation that restricts the catid parameter to only accept valid numeric values or predefined category identifiers would prevent malicious input from being processed. Security frameworks such as OWASP ESAPI or similar input validation libraries should be integrated into the application to provide consistent protection across all user input handling. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block known XSS attack patterns, though this should be considered a supplementary defense rather than a primary mitigation strategy. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering attacks through malicious links, and T1203 which addresses exploitation of web application vulnerabilities for code execution.