CVE-2018-20464 in CMS Made Simple
Summary
by MITRE
There is a reflected XSS vulnerability in the CMS Made Simple 2.2.8 admin/myaccount.php. This vulnerability is triggered upon an attempt to modify a user's mailbox with the wrong format. The response contains the user's previously entered email address.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/24/2020
The reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-20464 exists within the CMS Made Simple content management system version 2.2.8 specifically in the admin/myaccount.php component. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability manifests when administrators attempt to modify user account information, particularly when entering an email address with incorrect formatting. The system fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it in the HTTP response, creating an avenue for malicious code execution.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and output encoding practices within the CMS Made Simple application. When a user submits an email address with invalid formatting, the system processes this input and subsequently reflects the malformed email address back to the user interface without adequate sanitization. This reflected behavior creates a classic XSS vector where attacker-controlled data flows directly from the HTTP response back into the browser context. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload must be crafted to be included in a URL or HTTP request parameter, making it particularly dangerous in scenarios where administrators might be tricked into clicking malicious links.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-20464 extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to administrative functions. An attacker could craft a malicious email address that, when processed by the vulnerable system, would execute JavaScript code in the context of an administrator's browser session. This could lead to session hijacking, unauthorized modifications to user accounts, or even complete system compromise if the administrator has elevated privileges. The vulnerability affects the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the CMS, potentially allowing attackers to bypass security controls and access sensitive administrative features. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for script injection techniques and T1548.002 for privilege escalation through administrative access.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding measures within the CMS Made Simple application. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user input before rendering it in web responses, implementing proper HTML escaping mechanisms, and enforcing strict validation of email address formats. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities and reduce the impact of successful XSS attacks. Regular security updates and patches should be applied immediately upon release, as CMS Made Simple has addressed this vulnerability in subsequent versions. Network-based protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional layers of defense, though they should not replace proper code-level fixes. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual administrative activities and potential exploitation attempts, while user education regarding suspicious links and email addresses remains critical in preventing successful social engineering attacks that could leverage this vulnerability.