CVE-2018-18927 in PublicCMS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in PublicCMS V4.0. It allows XSS by modifying the page_list "attached" attribute (which typically has 'class="icon-globe icon-large"' in its value), as demonstrated by an 'UPDATE sys_module SET attached = "[XSS]" WHERE id="page_list"' statement.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2023
This vulnerability exists in PublicCMS version 4.0 where an insecure direct object reference flaw allows for cross-site scripting attacks through manipulation of the page_list attached attribute. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-supplied data that is directly incorporated into web page content without proper encoding or filtering mechanisms. Attackers can exploit this by executing malicious javascript code through the attached attribute field, which is typically used to store icon class definitions for module display purposes.
The technical exploitation occurs when an attacker modifies the sys_module table by executing an update statement that replaces the standard attached attribute value with malicious javascript code. The attached attribute normally contains class="icon-globe icon-large" but can be replaced with crafted payload that will execute in the context of other users' browsers when the page content is rendered. This represents a classic stored cross-site scripting vulnerability where the malicious input is permanently stored in the database and executed whenever the affected page is accessed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows attackers to perform session hijacking, defacement of web pages, data theft from authenticated users, and potential lateral movement within the application. An attacker who gains access to administrative privileges could use this vulnerability to inject persistent malicious scripts that would affect all users who view the compromised pages. The vulnerability affects the core module management functionality and could potentially compromise the entire application if additional privileges are obtained through the initial attack vector.
This vulnerability maps to CWE-79 in the Common Weakness Enumeration which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. The attack vector follows the pattern of T1566.001 for credential access through malicious content delivery. Organizations should implement proper input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied data, particularly in administrative interfaces where database modification capabilities exist. The recommended mitigations include implementing strict sanitization of all input fields, applying proper HTML encoding to dynamic content, and restricting database update privileges to authenticated administrators only. Additionally, regular security testing including automated vulnerability scanning and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar insecure data handling patterns throughout the application codebase.