CVE-2018-14969 in QCMS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in QCMS 3.0.1. upload/System/Controller/backend/system.php has XSS.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/13/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14969 represents a cross-site scripting flaw located within the QCMS 3.0.1 content management system specifically in the backend system.php controller file. This issue exists within the upload/System/Controller/backend/system.php path, indicating a potential attack vector that could be exploited by malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into the web application's response. The vulnerability falls under the category of persistent XSS attacks, where user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to other users, creating a dangerous condition for web application security.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker can manipulate input parameters that are processed by the system.php controller without adequate validation or sanitization measures. This flaw allows malicious actors to inject JavaScript code or other malicious payloads that will execute in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected pages. The impact is particularly concerning because the vulnerability exists within the backend system controller, suggesting it may affect administrative functions and potentially provide attackers with elevated privileges or access to sensitive system information. The XSS vulnerability enables attackers to perform actions such as session hijacking, defacement of web content, data theft, and redirection to malicious sites.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations utilizing QCMS 3.0.1 as their content management solution. The attack surface includes any user with the ability to submit data through the affected system.php controller, potentially including both regular users and administrators. The exploitation could lead to complete compromise of the web application, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code, steal authentication cookies, access sensitive data, or perform unauthorized administrative actions. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of the web application and its associated data, potentially violating security standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and the CWE-79 category for cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. The attack could be facilitated through various methods including email attachments, file uploads, or direct input manipulation, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that do not maintain robust input validation controls.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding to prevent XSS attacks, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before processing. The recommended approach involves implementing proper content security policies, using secure coding practices, and updating to the latest version of QCMS where this vulnerability has been addressed. Security measures should include input validation at multiple layers, output encoding for all dynamic content, and regular security audits to identify similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process should also involve implementing proper access controls and monitoring mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and security headers to provide additional protection against similar XSS vulnerabilities, while adhering to established security frameworks such as those defined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO 27001 standards for information security management.