CVE-2018-11012 in Halo
Summary
by MITRE
ruibaby Halo 0.0.2 has stored XSS via the loginName and loginPwd parameters in a failed login attempt to AdminController.java.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-11012 affects the ruibaby Halo 0.0.2 content management system and represents a stored cross-site scripting flaw that occurs during authentication attempts. This vulnerability specifically impacts the AdminController.java component where user input parameters loginName and loginPwd are processed during failed login scenarios. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist in the application's storage and execute when other users view the affected data. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the authentication handling process, creating a persistent security risk that can affect multiple users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input during authentication failures. When users attempt to log in with invalid credentials, the system stores the loginName and loginPwd parameters without adequate sanitization or encoding. This stored data is then subsequently displayed to administrators or other users who access the affected pages, enabling the execution of malicious scripts in their browsers. The flaw operates at the application layer where the system processes user input and renders it back to users without proper security controls. This represents a classic stored XSS vulnerability pattern where the malicious payload is stored in the database or application storage and executed during subsequent page requests.
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, and data exfiltration. An attacker who successfully injects malicious scripts can potentially steal administrator sessions, modify content, access sensitive data, or redirect users to malicious websites. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the application's administrative functions, potentially allowing unauthorized access to critical system components. Given that this affects the admin login functionality, the impact is particularly severe as it can compromise the entire administrative interface and potentially the underlying system. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the authentication process. The application should sanitize all user inputs before storing them, particularly in contexts where the data will be displayed to other users. Implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while proper input validation should ensure that special characters are properly escaped or removed from user-supplied data. The system should also implement proper logging and monitoring of authentication attempts to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security updates and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to provide additional layers of protection against XSS attacks. The fix should involve updating the AdminController.java to properly encode output and validate input parameters before storage, ensuring that the application follows secure coding practices as recommended by OWASP and other security frameworks.