CVE-2018-5689 in DotClear
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in admin/auth.php in Dotclear 2.12.1 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the malicious user's email.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/30/2021
The CVE-2018-5689 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Dotclear content management system version 2.12.1, specifically affecting the admin/auth.php component. This vulnerability resides in the authentication and authorization handling mechanism of the administrative interface, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts within the context of authenticated user sessions. The flaw manifests when the system fails to properly sanitize user input during the authentication process, particularly in the email field associated with user accounts. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious email addresses containing embedded scripts that will be executed when other authenticated administrators view user information within the admin panel. The vulnerability is classified as a persistent XSS attack vector since the malicious content is stored within the application's database and subsequently rendered to other users without proper sanitization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the Dotclear administrative interface. When administrators access user management sections or view user profiles, the system retrieves and displays user email addresses without sufficient sanitization of potentially malicious content. This failure to implement proper HTML escaping and input validation creates an environment where attackers can inject script tags, javascript code, or other malicious web content that executes in the browser context of authenticated users. The vulnerability specifically targets the email field during user account creation or modification processes, where the system should enforce strict validation but instead permits dangerous characters and script tags to be stored and subsequently executed. This represents a classic CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation vulnerability, where user-controllable data enters a web page without proper validation or escaping mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-5689 extends beyond simple script execution, as authenticated administrators who view compromised user profiles become victims of the XSS attack. This creates a potential attack chain where attackers can steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated administrators. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within the administrative interface, providing attackers with elevated privileges and access to sensitive system functions. An attacker could potentially harvest administrator session tokens, modify user permissions, or manipulate content management functions through the executed malicious scripts. The attack requires only authenticated access to the system, making it more accessible than many other vulnerabilities that require additional exploitation steps. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, and T1566.001 for Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, as it enables the execution of malicious JavaScript code through compromised administrative sessions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-5689 should prioritize immediate patching of the Dotclear application to version 2.12.2 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for input sanitization and output escaping. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation mechanisms that reject or sanitize potentially malicious content before storing user data, particularly in fields that will be displayed in administrative interfaces. The security architecture should enforce strict HTML escaping for all user-controllable data rendered in web pages, preventing script execution through proper encoding of special characters. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls should be configured to monitor for suspicious patterns in user input and email addresses containing script tags or other malicious content. Additionally, administrators should implement regular security audits of user accounts and monitor for unusual activity in administrative interfaces. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top 10 and NIST SP 800-53 security controls, particularly those addressing input validation, output encoding, and access control mechanisms. Regular security training for administrators should emphasize the dangers of viewing user data from untrusted sources and the importance of maintaining updated security patches across all system components.