CVE-2018-16727 in razorCMS
Summary
by MITRE
razorCMS 3.4.7 allows Stored XSS via the keywords of the homepage within the settings component.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-16727 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within razorCMS version 3.4.7 that specifically targets the homepage keywords parameter within the settings component. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. The issue occurs when user-supplied input containing malicious script code is stored in the application's database and subsequently executed whenever the affected page is rendered to other users. In this case, the attacker can inject malicious JavaScript code through the keywords field that is used to configure the homepage metadata, creating a persistent threat that affects all visitors to the site.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to gain access to the CMS administration interface or find a way to submit malicious input through a vulnerable form that accepts keyword parameters. Once the malicious payload is stored in the database, it becomes part of the standard page rendering process, meaning that any user who accesses the homepage will execute the injected script within their browser context. This creates a particularly dangerous scenario where the attack vector can propagate without requiring user interaction beyond visiting the compromised website, making it a prime target for mass exploitation. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects the homepage, which typically receives high traffic and is often bookmarked by users, potentially creating a widespread distribution mechanism for the malicious code.
From an operational perspective, this stored XSS vulnerability can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of the website content, redirection to malicious sites, and data exfiltration from users who visit the compromised page. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it targets the core configuration parameters of the content management system, potentially allowing attackers to modify the site's behavior or redirect users to phishing pages. The vulnerability can be leveraged to establish persistent access to the application through stolen session cookies or to inject additional malicious components that can further compromise the system. This type of vulnerability often aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through credential dumping and can facilitate later stages of the attack chain including privilege escalation and data persistence.
Security mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-16727 should include immediate input validation and output encoding of all user-supplied data, particularly in fields that are stored and later rendered to users. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against script execution, while proper sanitization of HTML content and the use of a whitelist-based approach for acceptable characters in keyword fields can prevent malicious payloads from being stored. Organizations should also implement regular security updates and patches for their CMS installations, as this vulnerability was present in version 3.4.7 and likely has been addressed in subsequent releases. The remediation process should include thorough testing of input validation mechanisms and regular security audits to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and monitoring for unusual administrative activities can help detect potential exploitation attempts and prevent unauthorized modifications to critical configuration parameters.