CVE-2018-15847 in puppyCMS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in puppyCMS 5.1. There is an XSS vulnerability via menu.php in the "Add Page/URL" URL link field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-15847 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within puppyCMS version 5.1 that specifically affects the menu.php component during the "Add Page/URL" functionality. This issue arises from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly handle malicious user-supplied data within the URL link field. The vulnerability exists in the web application's user interface where administrators or authenticated users can add new menu items by specifying a URL link, creating an attack vector that allows malicious actors to inject harmful scripts into the application's response.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to sanitize user input before rendering it within the HTML context of the menu interface. When a user submits a URL link containing malicious script code, the application processes this input without proper encoding or validation, allowing the script to execute within the browser context of other users who view the affected menu structure. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and represents a classic example of reflected XSS where the malicious payload is executed as part of the request to the vulnerable application.
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, redirection to malicious sites, and data exfiltration. An attacker could craft a malicious URL that, when clicked by an administrator or other privileged user, would execute scripts that steal session cookies or inject additional malicious content into the application. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications that rely on user-generated content for navigation structures, as the menu system serves as a critical interface point where user input is directly rendered to other users. The attack vector is relatively straightforward as it requires only a user to submit a malicious URL through the legitimate administrative interface, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple administrators have access to the system.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers Scripting through the execution of malicious scripts within web browsers. This particular flaw creates a persistent threat vector where attackers can maintain access through session manipulation and credential compromise. Organizations using puppyCMS version 5.1 should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, output encoding, and proper content security policy headers. The recommended approach involves sanitizing all user inputs through proper HTML escaping mechanisms before rendering them within the application's response, implementing strict input validation for URL formats, and deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious script injection patterns. Additionally, regular security updates and patches should be applied to address this vulnerability, as it represents a known weakness that attackers can readily exploit in unpatched systems. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding practices in web application security, particularly for administrative interfaces where privileged users interact with user-supplied data.