CVE-2018-15567 in CMSUno
Summary
by MITRE
CMSUno before 1.5.3 has XSS via the title field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/16/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-15567 affects CMSUno versions prior to 1.5.3 and represents a cross-site scripting vulnerability within the title field of the content management system. This flaw allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that can execute in the context of other users' browsers when they view affected content. The vulnerability specifically manifests when user-supplied input containing script code is processed and displayed without proper sanitization or encoding, creating a persistent vector for malicious activity.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a critical security weakness in web applications. The flaw operates by bypassing input validation mechanisms that should normally sanitize user-provided data before it is stored and rendered back to users. When administrators or content creators enter specially crafted payloads into the title field, these inputs are not properly escaped or filtered, allowing attackers to inject HTML, JavaScript, or other malicious code that executes in the victim's browser context. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because the title field is commonly used and frequently displayed throughout the CMS interface, amplifying the potential impact of successful exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious sites. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially escalate privileges, access sensitive administrative functions, or compromise the entire CMS instance. The persistent nature of stored XSS vulnerabilities means that once the malicious payload is injected, it will affect all users who view the affected content, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where administrators regularly interact with content titles.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-15567 should include immediate upgrading to CMSUno version 1.5.3 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the input sanitization issues. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout their web applications, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly escaped before being rendered in HTML contexts. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify similar weaknesses in other components of their web infrastructure, following the principles outlined in the ATT&CK framework for web application security. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and adhering to secure coding standards that prevent common injection flaws in web applications.