CVE-2018-17425 in WUZHI
Summary
by MITRE
WUZHI CMS 4.1.0 has stored XSS via the "Membership Center" "I want to ask" "detailed description" field under the index.php?m=member URI.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/05/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2018-17425 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within WUZHI CMS version 4.1.0 that specifically targets the membership center functionality. This vulnerability exists in the "I want to ask" feature where users can submit detailed descriptions through the index.php?m=member URI endpoint. The flaw allows authenticated users to inject malicious JavaScript code into the system's database through the detailed description field, which then gets executed whenever other users view the submitted content. This creates a persistent threat where malicious payloads can compromise user sessions and potentially escalate to full system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the CMS's membership module. When users submit questions through the "I want to ask" form, the system fails to properly sanitize the detailed description field before storing it in the database. The stored content is then rendered without proper HTML escaping or context-aware output encoding, allowing malicious scripts to execute in the browser context of other users who access the affected pages. This particular vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and more precisely aligns with CWE-80 which deals with improper neutralization of script-related HTML tags in a web page.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can be leveraged for session hijacking, credential theft, and privilege escalation attacks. An attacker who gains access to a member account can inject malicious code that targets other users with higher privileges, potentially compromising administrator accounts or sensitive user data. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payloads remain active until manually removed from the database, creating a persistent threat vector that can affect multiple users over extended periods. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1531 for "Account Access Removal" and T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript" where attackers can leverage stored XSS to execute malicious JavaScript in victim browsers.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate input validation and output encoding implementations within the CMS. The system must implement strict sanitization of all user-supplied content before storage, particularly focusing on the detailed description field within membership center functionality. Organizations should deploy Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit script execution contexts and implement proper HTML escaping mechanisms when rendering user-generated content. Additionally, regular security patches and updates should be applied to ensure the CMS remains protected against known vulnerabilities, with input validation being strengthened to prevent any form of malicious script injection. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of principle of least privilege in CMS environments, where user input should be rigorously validated regardless of user authentication status to prevent privilege escalation through malicious content injection.