CVE-2018-17320 in UCMS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in UCMS 1.4.6. aaddpost.php has stored XSS via the sadmin/aindex.php minfo parameter in a sadmin_aaddpost action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-17320 resides within the UCMS 1.4.6 content management system and represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw that undermines the security posture of affected web applications. This vulnerability specifically manifests in the aaddpost.php script where user-supplied input through the minfo parameter within the sadmin/aindex.php context is not properly sanitized or validated before being stored and subsequently rendered in web pages. The issue occurs during the sadmin_aaddpost action, creating a persistent XSS attack vector that can compromise user sessions and execute malicious code in the context of affected browsers.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding. This stored XSS vulnerability enables attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist in the application's database and are executed whenever legitimate users view the affected content. The attack chain begins with an authenticated administrator or user with sufficient privileges to submit data through the vulnerable parameter, followed by the persistence of malicious code in the system's backend storage. When other users access the affected pages, their browsers execute the stored malicious scripts, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further exploitation of the compromised systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can facilitate advanced persistent threats and privilege escalation attacks within the UCMS environment. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to manipulate the CMS functionality, access sensitive administrative interfaces, or redirect users to malicious domains. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payloads remain active until manually removed from the database, providing attackers with sustained access to compromised systems. This characteristic significantly increases the potential damage and makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users interact with the CMS and where administrators may not immediately notice the presence of malicious content.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-17320 should prioritize immediate patching of the UCMS 1.4.6 application to address the root cause of the vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar issues in other components of their web applications. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by restricting administrative access to only authorized personnel and implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts. Additionally, regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in web applications. Network monitoring and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of defense by detecting and blocking suspicious payloads attempting to exploit XSS vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566.001 for spearphishing attachment, highlighting the need for comprehensive security controls that address both the technical flaw and potential exploitation techniques.