CVE-2018-12992 in CMS MaeloStore
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered CMS MaeloStore V.1.5.0. There is stored XSS in the Telephone field of the admin interface.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-12992 represents a critical security flaw within the CMS MaeloStore version 1.5.0 administrative interface. This issue manifests as a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability specifically targeting the Telephone field input area, creating a persistent security risk that can affect all users interacting with the compromised system. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the content management system's administrative components, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious scripts that persist in the database and execute whenever the affected field is rendered.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the Telephone field in the admin interface, where user-supplied input containing malicious JavaScript code is stored without proper sanitization. When administrators or other users view the stored data, the injected scripts execute in their browser context, potentially leading to unauthorized actions such as session hijacking, data exfiltration, or redirection to malicious websites. This stored XSS vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically classified as a stored variant where the malicious payload is permanently stored on the server and executed during subsequent page requests. The vulnerability represents a significant threat to the confidentiality and integrity of the administrative interface, as it can be leveraged to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to sensitive system functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it creates a persistent backdoor for attackers to maintain access to the compromised system. Administrators who view the affected Telephone field in the admin interface become victims of the stored XSS attack, potentially leading to complete system compromise if the attacker can manipulate administrative functions. The vulnerability can be exploited by attackers who gain access to the administrative interface through other means or by targeting less security-conscious administrators who might unknowingly click on malicious links within the compromised field. This creates a chain reaction where a single vulnerable field can lead to broader system infiltration, making it particularly dangerous in environments where the administrative interface is frequently accessed by multiple users.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-12992 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the CMS MaeloStore administrative interface. The immediate solution involves sanitizing all user input fields, particularly those that may contain telephone numbers or other data that could potentially contain malicious scripts, through proper HTML escaping and encoding techniques. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts and ensure that the CMS is updated to a version that addresses this specific vulnerability. The remediation process should include thorough input validation that rejects or sanitizes any potentially malicious content before storing it in the database, while also implementing proper output encoding when displaying user-supplied data to prevent script execution in the browser context. Additionally, regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other input fields and administrative components of the system, following established security frameworks such as the OWASP Top Ten and ATT&CK framework methodologies for identifying and mitigating persistent security threats.