CVE-2018-14838 in rejucms
Summary
by MITRE
rejucms 2.1 has stored XSS via the admin/book.php content parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/12/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14838 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within the rejucms 2.1 content management system. This vulnerability specifically affects the admin/book.php endpoint where user-supplied content parameter values are not properly sanitized or validated before being stored in the database and subsequently rendered back to administrators. The flaw enables attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist in the system's database, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it affects all users who view the compromised content. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that malicious payloads remain active even after the initial injection, potentially affecting multiple users over extended periods. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category for Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to execute scripts in the context of other users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when administrators or other privileged users access the admin/book.php page and encounter content that has been maliciously injected through the content parameter. When the system retrieves and displays this stored content without proper output encoding or validation, it inadvertently executes the injected JavaScript code within the browser context of the victim user. This creates a persistent threat vector where attackers can establish backdoors, steal session cookies, perform unauthorized administrative actions, or redirect users to malicious sites. The impact is significantly amplified when considering that this vulnerability affects administrative interfaces, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or gain complete system control. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a Stored XSS technique under the T1059.007 sub-technique, which involves executing malicious code through web application inputs that are stored and later retrieved.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability extend beyond simple script execution, as it represents a critical weakness in the application's input validation and output sanitization mechanisms. Attackers can leverage this flaw to steal administrator credentials, modify content, or even redirect users to phishing sites that appear legitimate. The persistence of stored XSS makes it particularly challenging to detect and remediate, as the malicious code remains embedded in the database until manually removed. Organizations using rejucms 2.1 are at significant risk of data breaches, privilege escalation, and potential complete system compromise. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental lack of proper security controls in the web application's data handling processes, particularly concerning user input validation and output encoding. This flaw represents a failure in the application's defense-in-depth strategy, as it lacks proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms that should be implemented at multiple layers of the application architecture.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-14838 must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar vulnerabilities. The most direct solution involves implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the admin/book.php endpoint to sanitize all user-supplied content before storage and rendering. Organizations should apply the latest security patches and updates from the rejucms vendor, as well as implement comprehensive input validation that filters or escapes special characters that could be used in XSS attacks. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against script execution even if other defenses fail. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application. The use of web application firewalls and security monitoring systems can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and privilege separation to limit the impact of potential exploitation, as this vulnerability specifically targets administrative interfaces that should have restricted access and enhanced security measures. Regular security training for developers on secure coding practices and the importance of input validation is essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future development cycles.