CVE-2018-18692 in Semcosoft
Summary
by MITRE
A reflected Cross-Site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in SEMCO Semcosoft 5.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML via the username parameter to the Login Form.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/19/2023
This reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability exists within the SEMCO Semcosoft 5.3 web application, specifically targeting the login form's username parameter handling. The flaw represents a classic XSS attack vector where malicious input is reflected back to users without proper sanitization or encoding, creating an opportunity for attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of the victim's browser. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web application's authentication interface, making it particularly dangerous as it occurs during the login process when users are already trusting the application's interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows the standard reflected XSS pattern where an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing script code within the username parameter, which is then processed by the application and reflected back to the victim's browser when the login form is submitted. This allows attackers to execute scripts in the victim's browser context, potentially enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability specifically affects the username parameter in the login form, indicating that the application fails to properly sanitize or encode user input before it is rendered back to the user interface. This type of flaw typically maps to CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental web security issue that has been consistently identified as one of the top ten web application security risks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to compromise user sessions and potentially gain unauthorized access to the system. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or inject malicious content that appears legitimate to users. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the attack requires user interaction through a malicious link, but once clicked, it can execute with the privileges of the authenticated user. This makes it particularly dangerous in environments where users may not be security-aware, as they might inadvertently click on malicious links sent through social engineering campaigns. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 - Phishing, as it provides a mechanism for delivering malicious payloads through crafted login URLs.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding across all user-supplied parameters. The application should sanitize all input data by removing or encoding potentially dangerous characters such as angle brackets, quotes, and script tags before processing or displaying user input. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting script execution. The most effective remediation approach involves proper parameter validation and encoding, ensuring that all user input is treated as untrusted and properly escaped before being rendered back to the browser. Organizations should also implement secure coding practices that include input validation at multiple layers of the application architecture, including both client-side and server-side validation. Regular security testing, including automated scanning and manual penetration testing, should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities throughout the application lifecycle, following security standards such as OWASP Top Ten and NIST guidelines for web application security.