CVE-2018-19901 in No-CMS
Summary
by MITRE
No-CMS 1.1.3 is prone to Persistent XSS via the blog/manage_article/index/ "article_title" parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/25/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-19901 affects No-CMS version 1.1.3 and represents a critical persistent cross-site scripting flaw that allows attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of victim browsers. This vulnerability specifically manifests through the blog/manage_article/index/ endpoint where the article_title parameter fails to properly sanitize user input, creating an avenue for persistent XSS attacks that can compromise user sessions and execute unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The flaw resides in the application's failure to implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms for user-supplied content that is subsequently rendered within the web interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate data sanitization practices within the No-CMS framework where the article_title parameter accepts user input without proper filtering or encoding before storage and subsequent display. When an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing script tags and submits it through the article_title field, the application stores this content in its database without adequate sanitization. During subsequent page rendering, the stored malicious content is executed in the browser context of any user who views the affected article, making this a persistent XSS vulnerability that can affect multiple users over time. This flaw directly maps to CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as the improper handling of untrusted data within web applications, and specifically aligns with CWE-80 which addresses the failure to properly encode output.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with the capability to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, perform unauthorized actions within the application, and potentially escalate privileges within the CMS environment. An attacker could craft malicious articles that redirect users to phishing sites, steal authentication cookies, or execute commands that compromise the entire CMS infrastructure. The persistent nature of this vulnerability means that once an attacker successfully injects malicious content, it remains active until manually removed, potentially affecting all users who access the compromised content. This vulnerability can be exploited by attackers who gain access to any account with article management privileges, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have administrative capabilities. The attack surface is further expanded when considering that the vulnerability allows for session hijacking and can be leveraged to maintain persistent access to the compromised system.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user input through proper validation and encoding before storage, implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, and ensuring that all dynamic content is properly escaped when rendered in the browser. Organizations should also implement regular security testing including automated scanning and manual penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in the application code. Additionally, the application should be updated to a patched version that addresses the specific input handling flaws in the article_title parameter, and administrators should conduct regular security audits to ensure proper implementation of security controls. The remediation process should also include implementing proper access controls and monitoring mechanisms to detect unauthorized content modifications, as this vulnerability can be exploited through legitimate user accounts with appropriate privileges. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top 10 and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.002 for command and scripting interpreter which can be leveraged through XSS payloads to execute malicious commands within the victim environment.