CVE-2018-20562 in DouPHP
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in DouCo DouPHP 1.5 20181221. admin/article_category.php?rec=update has XSS via the cat_name parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/25/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-20562 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the DouCo DouPHP 1.5 content management system released in December 2018. This issue specifically affects the administrative interface component admin/article_category.php where the rec=update parameter is processed. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before rendering it within the web application's response. Security researchers have classified this as a client-side attack vector that allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary javascript code into the application's administrative interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing javascript code within the cat_name parameter of the article category update functionality. When the administrative user navigates to the affected page or processes the category update, the malicious script executes within the context of the admin's browser session. This creates a persistent threat vector where attackers can execute code in the victim's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further compromise of the administrative interface. The vulnerability follows the CWE-79 pattern of cross-site scripting, specifically categorized under reflected XSS when the malicious input is immediately reflected back to the user without proper sanitization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it compromises the integrity of the administrative interface and potentially the entire web application. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions, modify content, or even escalate privileges within the system. The threat model aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and control through scripting, where malicious scripts can be used to establish persistent access or exfiltrate data from the compromised administrative session. The vulnerability affects the availability and confidentiality of the web application's content management capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-20562 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's data flow. The primary fix involves sanitizing all user-supplied input parameters including the cat_name field before processing or storing the data. Security measures should include implementing Content Security Policy headers, using proper HTML escaping functions, and ensuring all dynamic content is properly encoded for the target execution context. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit this vulnerability. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar input validation flaws in other components of the application. The remediation process should follow OWASP Top 10 security guidelines and incorporate defense-in-depth strategies to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other parts of the web application's codebase.