CVE-2018-10422 in HongCMS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in HongCMS 3.0.0. The post news feature has Stored XSS via the content field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-10422 represents a critical security flaw within HongCMS version 3.0.0, specifically affecting the news posting functionality. This issue manifests as a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious code into the content field of news articles. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the content handling pipeline, creating an environment where malicious scripts can be persistently stored and executed whenever the affected news items are rendered to users. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload remains embedded within the application's database and will execute each time users access the compromised content, making it particularly dangerous for content management systems that serve dynamic web pages.
From a technical perspective, the vulnerability occurs when user-supplied content containing malicious javascript code is submitted through the news posting interface without proper sanitization. The system fails to adequately filter or escape special characters and script tags, allowing attackers to embed payloads that can execute in the context of other users' browsers. This flaw falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities, and more precisely aligns with CWE-80 which categorizes stored XSS attacks where malicious code is stored on the server and later executed by other users. The vulnerability exploits the fundamental principle that web applications must treat all user input as untrusted and must properly sanitize or escape data before rendering it in web contexts to prevent malicious code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption or theft, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, and potential privilege escalation within the affected system. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain persistent access to user sessions, potentially compromising administrator accounts if the CMS has administrative functions. The stored nature of the XSS payload means that the attack vector can remain active for extended periods, allowing attackers to conduct reconnaissance, gather sensitive information, or establish backdoors within the compromised environment. This vulnerability also poses risks to the overall integrity of the content management system, as it can be used to deface websites or inject malicious content that affects the credibility and security posture of the organization.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-10422 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's content handling pipeline. Organizations should immediately patch the affected HongCMS version to the latest available release that addresses this vulnerability. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of defense against XSS attacks by restricting script execution within the browser. Input sanitization should include comprehensive filtering of script tags, javascript protocols, and other potentially malicious content patterns. The system should also implement proper output encoding when displaying user-generated content to ensure that any malicious code is rendered harmless. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the CMS. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for scripting languages and T1566.001 for credential access through social engineering, as attackers can use the XSS to harvest session cookies or credentials from unsuspecting users. The vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of defense in depth strategies and proper secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security principles.