CVE-2018-10258 in Shopy Point of Sale
Summary
by MITRE
A CSV Injection vulnerability was discovered in Shopy Point of Sale v1.0 that allows a user with low level privileges to inject a command that will be included in the exported CSV file, leading to possible code execution.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/04/2025
The CSV injection vulnerability in Shopy Point of Sale v1.0 represents a critical security flaw that exploits the lack of proper input validation and sanitization in data export functionality. This vulnerability falls under CWE-1236, which specifically addresses the improper neutralization of special elements used in CSV files. The flaw exists in the application's export mechanism where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into CSV output without adequate sanitization, creating a pathway for malicious input to be interpreted as executable commands by spreadsheet applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly escape or quote special characters in exported data fields. When users with low privilege levels export transaction data or other information containing potentially malicious input, the system does not sanitize these inputs before inclusion in the CSV file structure. This creates a scenario where a specially crafted payload beginning with characters like equals sign, plus, minus, or at symbol can be interpreted by spreadsheet applications like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets as formula commands rather than plain text data. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages the trust relationship between the application and spreadsheet software, where the spreadsheet application automatically executes formulas contained in cells.
Operationally, this vulnerability has significant implications for retail environments using Shopy Point of Sale systems. An attacker with minimal privileges can inject malicious code that executes when victims open the exported CSV files in spreadsheet applications. The potential attack vectors include command execution through formula injection, which can lead to unauthorized access, data exfiltration, or system compromise. The impact extends beyond simple data manipulation as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges or establish persistent access points within the network. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, where adversaries leverage spreadsheet applications to execute malicious code through CSV injection.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of input sanitization and output encoding measures. Organizations should implement proper CSV escaping mechanisms that ensure all user-supplied data is properly quoted and escaped before inclusion in export files. The application must enforce strict data validation rules that prevent special characters from being interpreted as commands. Additionally, security measures should include restricting CSV export functionality to authorized personnel only and implementing sandboxed environments for CSV file processing. The solution aligns with security best practices outlined in OWASP Top Ten 2017 category A03: Injection, which emphasizes the critical need for proper input validation and output encoding. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation and establish monitoring procedures to detect anomalous CSV export activities that might indicate attempted exploitation.