CVE-2018-18939 in WUZHI
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in WUZHI CMS 4.1.0. There is stored XSS in index.php?m=core&f=index via a seventh input field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2018-18939 represents a stored cross-site scripting flaw within WUZHI CMS version 4.1.0 that poses significant security risks to web applications utilizing this content management system. This issue exists within the core module's index page where user input is improperly sanitized before being stored in the database and subsequently rendered in the web interface. The vulnerability specifically affects the seventh input field in the index.php?m=core&f=index endpoint, making it a targeted attack vector for malicious actors seeking to exploit the system's input validation mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of user input fields that are processed by the CMS's core functionality. When an attacker submits malicious JavaScript code through the vulnerable seventh input field, the CMS fails to properly sanitize or escape the content before storing it in its database. This stored payload is then executed whenever the affected page is accessed by any user, including administrators, thereby creating a persistent XSS attack vector. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices and inadequate output sanitization, which are fundamental security weaknesses that align with CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting').
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized administrative access. Attackers can craft payloads that steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even inject additional malware into the victim's browser environment. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious code persists in the system until manually removed, making it particularly dangerous for web applications where multiple users interact with the CMS. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1059.001 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell and T1566.001 - Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, as it provides a method for executing malicious code within the context of legitimate user sessions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-18939 should prioritize immediate patching of the WUZHI CMS to the latest version that addresses this specific vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar issues in other applications. The remediation process must include thorough code review of all input handling functions within the CMS core modules, with particular attention to the specific endpoint mentioned in the vulnerability description. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns, while conducting regular security assessments to identify potential similar vulnerabilities in other CMS components or custom modules that may be vulnerable to the same class of attack. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability.