CVE-2018-14977 in QCMS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in QCMS 3.0.1. upload/System/Controller/guest.php has XSS, as demonstrated by the name parameter, a different vulnerability than CVE-2018-8070.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/13/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14977 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the QCMS 3.0.1 content management system, specifically located in the upload/System/Controller/guest.php file. This security weakness allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web applications that can execute in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data theft, or session hijacking. The vulnerability manifests through the name parameter, which fails to properly sanitize user input before processing, creating an avenue for malicious code injection. Unlike CVE-2018-8070 which affected a different component, this particular flaw demonstrates the persistent nature of XSS vulnerabilities in web applications where input validation and output encoding mechanisms are insufficient.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a user submits data containing malicious script code through the name parameter in the guest.php controller. When the application processes this input without adequate sanitization or encoding, the injected scripts become executable within the browser context of other users who view the affected content. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, where improper validation or encoding of user-supplied data creates opportunities for attackers to inject client-side scripts. The vulnerability represents a classic reflected XSS attack vector where malicious input is immediately reflected back to users without proper sanitization, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where guest users can submit content.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-14977 extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information, or redirect users to malicious websites. In a content management system context, this vulnerability could allow unauthorized individuals to compromise guest user sessions, access restricted content, or manipulate the application's behavior through script injection. The presence of such vulnerabilities in the guest controller suggests a broader issue with input validation across the application's user submission mechanisms, potentially affecting other parameters beyond just the name field. Organizations utilizing QCMS 3.0.1 face significant risk of credential theft, data manipulation, and unauthorized access to their web applications, particularly when guest users have the ability to submit content or interact with the system through the affected controller.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The primary remediation involves sanitizing all user-supplied input, particularly parameters like name, through proper encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding before processing or displaying user data. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities and establish proper input validation routines that reject or sanitize potentially malicious content. Additionally, the application should utilize parameterized queries and secure coding practices to prevent XSS exploitation. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 which involves exploitation of web application vulnerabilities to gain access to user sessions, and organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar XSS vulnerabilities in their web applications. The fix should also include comprehensive testing of all user input fields and parameter handling to ensure no other similar vulnerabilities exist within the application's codebase.