CVE-2018-16632 in Mezzanine
Summary
by MITRE
Mezzanine CMS v4.3.1 allows XSS via the /admin/blog/blogcategory/add/?_to_field=id&_popup=1 title parameter at admin/blog/blogpost/add/.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/24/2020
This vulnerability exists in Mezzanine CMS version 4.3.1 and represents a cross-site scripting flaw that can be exploited through the administrative interface. The vulnerability specifically affects the blog category addition endpoint where the title parameter is not properly sanitized or validated, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into the web application. The attack vector involves navigating to the URL path admin/blog/blogcategory/add/?_to_field=id&_popup=1 and manipulating the title parameter to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of a victim's browser session.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the Mezzanine CMS administrative interface. When administrators or users with appropriate privileges access the blog category creation form, the application fails to properly escape or filter special characters in the title parameter before rendering it in the HTML output. This creates an environment where attacker-controlled input can be interpreted as executable script code rather than plain text, enabling malicious actors to perform actions such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or performing unauthorized actions within the CMS.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with potential access to sensitive administrative functions within the CMS. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to the content management system, potentially leading to complete compromise of the web application and underlying data. The vulnerability affects the administrative interface specifically, meaning that successful exploitation would require an attacker to either obtain administrative credentials or find a way to execute the attack within a privileged session. This makes the impact particularly concerning for organizations that rely on Mezzanine CMS for content management and have administrators with elevated privileges.
From a security standards perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and follows patterns commonly associated with CWE-80 which covers improper neutralization of script-related HTML tags in a web page. The attack scenario maps directly to ATT&CK technique T1213.002 which involves data from information repositories, particularly when attackers leverage CMS vulnerabilities to gain access to administrative interfaces. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of this vulnerability as it represents a critical security risk that could lead to full system compromise. The remediation approach should include implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application, specifically ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being rendered in HTML contexts. Additionally, organizations should implement proper web application firewall rules to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit this specific vulnerability. Regular security assessments and input validation reviews should be conducted to prevent similar issues from emerging in other parts of the application codebase.