CVE-2018-19090 in tianti
Summary
by MITRE
tianti 2.3 has stored XSS in the article management module via an article title.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-19090 represents a stored cross-site scripting flaw within the tianti 2.3 content management system specifically affecting the article management module. This security weakness allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into article titles that persist in the system's database and execute whenever the affected content is rendered to users. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the article title handling functionality, creating an avenue for persistent malicious code execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application failing to properly sanitize user input before storing it in the database. When administrators or users create articles with titles containing malicious script payloads, these inputs are not adequately filtered or escaped, allowing the scripts to be stored in the database. Subsequently, when the article titles are displayed within the management interface or public-facing pages, the stored scripts execute in the context of the victim's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. This stored XSS variant is particularly dangerous because the malicious code persists across multiple user sessions and page reloads, unlike reflected XSS attacks that require specific user interaction.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent access to the system through compromised administrator sessions. The attack surface is broadened by the fact that article titles are frequently displayed in various contexts within content management interfaces, providing multiple opportunities for exploitation. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability directly relates to CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting flaws, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059.005 for command and scripting interpreter usage. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the system by allowing unauthorized code execution and potential data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-19090 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's data flow. The system must sanitize all user inputs, particularly those stored in database fields like article titles, through proper escaping and encoding techniques before storage. Regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar input validation gaps across all modules, and a robust content security policy should be implemented to prevent unauthorized script execution. Additionally, privileged access controls should be strengthened to limit the scope of potential damage from compromised accounts. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular penetration testing to detect and prevent similar vulnerabilities in other parts of their web applications. The fix should align with security best practices outlined in OWASP top ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines to ensure comprehensive protection against persistent cross-site scripting attacks.