CVE-2018-18720 in YUNUCMS
Summary
by MITRE
An XSS issue was discovered in index.php/admin/system/basic in YUNUCMS 1.1.5.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/07/2020
The vulnerability CVE-2018-18720 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the YUNUCMS content management system version 1.1.5, specifically affecting the administrative interface at the index.php/admin/system/basic endpoint. This issue falls under the category of insecure input handling where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to users. The vulnerability exists in the system's basic configuration management section, which is typically accessible only to authenticated administrators but remains susceptible to malicious input injection.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from inadequate validation and output encoding of parameters passed to the administrative system's basic configuration page. When administrators navigate to the system basic settings interface, the application fails to properly escape or filter user-controllable input fields that are subsequently displayed without proper sanitization. This creates an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code through input fields that are processed by the vulnerable endpoint, allowing execution of arbitrary scripts in the context of the victim's browser session.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with potential access to administrative functions and sensitive system information. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to steal administrator session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject persistent XSS payloads that would execute whenever the admin interface is accessed. The attack vector requires minimal privileges since the vulnerability exists in the administrative interface, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on CMS platforms for content management and system administration.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is sent to a web browser without proper validation or escaping. The attack pattern corresponds to the ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for Credential Access - Credentials in Files, as successful exploitation could lead to administrative credential compromise. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor input validation practices that violate security best practices outlined in OWASP Top Ten and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, specifically addressing the protection of data integrity and system availability.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding for all parameters used in administrative interfaces, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before processing. The recommended approach involves implementing proper HTML escaping mechanisms for all dynamic content, utilizing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, and conducting regular security assessments of web applications. Additionally, administrators should ensure that the YUNUCMS platform is updated to the latest version where this vulnerability has been patched, as the vendor has likely released security updates to address the XSS flaw in subsequent releases.