CVE-2018-16142 in PHPOK
Summary
by MITRE
PHPOK 4.8.278 has a Reflected XSS vulnerability in framework/www/login_control.php via the _back parameter to the ok_f function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2020
The vulnerability CVE-2018-16142 represents a reflected cross-site scripting flaw within the PHPOK content management system version 4.8.278. This security weakness resides in the framework/www/login_control.php file where the _back parameter is processed through the ok_f function. The issue manifests when user input containing malicious script code is reflected back to the browser without proper sanitization or encoding, creating a vector for attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of a victim's browser session.
This vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration classification CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that malicious input is immediately reflected back to the user without any server-side processing or filtering, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through crafted URLs that redirect users to malicious payloads. The attack typically involves an attacker crafting a URL with malicious script code embedded within the _back parameter and then delivering this link to victims through phishing emails, social engineering, or by compromising legitimate websites that may include links to the vulnerable application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable attackers to hijack user sessions, steal authentication cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. In the context of a content management system like PHPOK, this could allow unauthorized individuals to gain administrative privileges or access sensitive data. The vulnerability affects the authentication flow of the application, potentially compromising the entire security model when users are redirected back to the application after login attempts. Attackers could leverage this flaw to create persistent backdoors or conduct more sophisticated attacks such as credential theft or data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-16142 should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The recommended approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input parameters including the _back parameter before processing or returning them to the browser. This can be achieved through the implementation of strict input validation that rejects or encodes potentially dangerous characters such as angle brackets, script tags, and other XSS payload indicators. Additionally, developers should implement proper output encoding when rendering user-supplied data in HTML contexts, ensuring that any special characters are properly escaped to prevent script execution. The use of Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Organizations should also consider implementing secure coding practices that align with the OWASP Secure Coding Practices and the ATT&CK framework's mitigation strategies for web application vulnerabilities. Regular security updates and patch management processes are essential to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities, while comprehensive security testing including dynamic application security testing should be performed to identify similar issues in the application codebase.