CVE-2018-14499 in HYBBS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was found in HYBBS through 2016-03-08. There is an XSS vulnerablity via an article title to post.html.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14499 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the HYBBS content management system, specifically affecting versions released through March 8, 2016. This security weakness resides in the post.html component where user input validation is insufficiently implemented, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into article titles. The flaw stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied data before rendering it within the web interface, creating an environment where attacker-controlled content can be executed in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting as a critical weakness in web applications. When a user submits an article title containing malicious script code, the system stores this input without adequate sanitization. Subsequently, when the title is displayed on the post.html page, the browser executes the embedded script as legitimate content. This behavior violates fundamental web security principles and represents a classic reflected XSS vulnerability pattern. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it targets the article title field, which is typically displayed prominently in web interfaces, maximizing the potential impact of successful exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking. An attacker could leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in victims' browsers, potentially leading to complete session compromise, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability affects all users who interact with the HYBBS platform, as any user who views affected articles becomes a potential victim of the XSS attack. This makes the flaw particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users regularly access and interact with content management systems, as the attack can propagate through legitimate user interactions rather than requiring direct exploitation of individual sessions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied data before storage and rendering, particularly for fields that are displayed in web interfaces. This includes implementing proper HTML escaping for all dynamic content and employing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution. Organizations should also consider implementing secure coding practices that align with OWASP Top Ten recommendations, specifically addressing injection flaws and cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be conducted to prevent similar issues from emerging in future versions of the system. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper data sanitization in web applications and serves as a reminder of the potential consequences when input validation is insufficiently implemented in content management systems.