CVE-2018-11011 in Halo
Summary
by MITRE
ruibaby Halo 0.0.2 has stored XSS via the commentAuthor field to FrontCommentController.java.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-11011 affects the ruibaby Halo blogging platform version 0.0.2 and represents a stored cross-site scripting flaw that occurs within the FrontCommentController.java component. This issue arises when user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being stored in the system's database and subsequently rendered back to other users without adequate output encoding. The specific attack vector involves the commentAuthor field where malicious actors can inject javascript code that persists in the database and executes whenever other users view the comments section.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting and specifically represents a stored XSS attack pattern where the malicious payload is permanently stored on the server and executed in the context of other users' browsers. The attack chain begins with an authenticated or unauthenticated user submitting a comment containing malicious javascript code through the commentAuthor field. The application fails to validate or sanitize this input before storing it in the database, allowing the payload to be retrieved and executed when other users browse the comments section. The FrontCommentController.java component serves as the entry point where the vulnerability manifests, making it a critical endpoint for user interaction with the commenting system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, and data exfiltration from users who view the compromised comments. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal cookies, modify content, or even gain unauthorized access to user accounts if the application does not properly implement security measures such as SameSite cookies or Content Security Policy headers. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious code remains active indefinitely until manually removed by administrators, creating a persistent threat vector that can affect multiple users over extended periods.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-11011 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's comment handling process. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user inputs including the commentAuthor field through strict validation that rejects or removes potentially dangerous characters and patterns. Implementing proper output encoding when rendering comments ensures that any malicious code is treated as plain text rather than executable script. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the sources from which scripts can be loaded and adopt a principle of least privilege for comment submission functionality. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through phishing and T1584.001 for establishing persistence through web shells, making it a significant concern for security operations teams. Additionally, regular security testing including automated scanning and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application stack.