CVE-2018-10430 in DiliCMS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in DiliCMS (aka DiligentCMS) 2.4.0. There is a Stored XSS Vulnerability in the fourth textbox of "System setting->site setting" of admin/index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/07/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-10430 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within DiliCMS version 2.4.0, specifically affecting the administrative interface. This issue resides in the system settings section where users can configure various site parameters through the admin/index.php interface. The vulnerability manifests in the fourth textbox field of the site settings configuration, making it a targeted attack vector that could compromise administrators and users who interact with the affected CMS.
The technical nature of this flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the CMS's administrative panel. When administrators or authorized users input data into the vulnerable textbox field, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape the submitted content before storing it in the database. This stored data is then later rendered back to users without proper context-based escaping, creating an environment where malicious scripts can be executed in the browser context of any user who views the affected configuration page.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to organizations utilizing DiliCMS 2.4.0 as it allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that can persist across sessions and user interactions. The stored nature of the XSS means that the malicious payload remains active even after the initial injection, potentially affecting multiple users over extended periods. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized administrative actions, redirect users to malicious sites, or execute other malicious activities that compromise the integrity and confidentiality of the affected system.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks within the compromised environment. According to CWE classification, this represents a CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which directly relates to the failure to properly escape user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for Credential Access through web application vulnerabilities, as successful exploitation could lead to session hijacking and unauthorized access to administrative functions.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied data within administrative interfaces. The most effective immediate solution involves implementing proper HTML entity encoding for all dynamic content rendered in web pages, ensuring that any potentially malicious input is neutralized before presentation. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts, and regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other CMS components or third-party plugins that may be susceptible to similar flaws.