CVE-2018-5074 in Online Ticket Booking
Summary
by MITRE
Online Ticket Booking has XSS via the admin/manageownerlist.php contact parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-5074 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the Online Ticket Booking system that specifically affects the admin/manageownerlist.php component. This issue arises from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices when processing user-supplied data through the contact parameter. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is a critical weakness in web applications that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The flaw exists in the administrative interface where the system fails to properly sanitize or escape user input before rendering it within the web page context, creating an avenue for malicious code execution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing script code within the contact parameter of the manageownerlist.php page. When the administrator or other users navigate to this page, the malicious script executes in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it resides within the administrative management interface, which typically has elevated privileges and access to sensitive system data. Attackers can leverage this flaw to establish persistent access to the ticket booking system, potentially compromising the entire platform's security posture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform various malicious activities within the compromised environment. An attacker could use the XSS vulnerability to steal administrative session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or even inject additional malicious code that could escalate privileges within the system. The attack surface is further expanded because the vulnerability affects the management functionality of the ticket booking system, potentially allowing unauthorized access to customer data, booking records, and system configuration settings. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566.001 for Phishing, as it enables attackers to establish initial access and maintain persistence through script-based attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-5074 should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The system must employ strict sanitization of all user inputs, particularly those used in administrative interfaces where the risk of exploitation is highest. Implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against script execution, while proper input validation should be enforced at both client and server levels. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit this vulnerability. Regular security testing and code reviews are essential to identify similar weaknesses in other parts of the application, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining secure coding practices throughout the entire software development lifecycle. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that all input parameters are properly sanitized and that output encoding is consistently applied to prevent similar XSS vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the ticket booking system.