CVE-2018-5964 in CMS Made Simple
Summary
by MITRE
CMS Made Simple (CMSMS) 2.2.5 has XSS in admin/moduleinterface.php via the m1_messages parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2018-5964 represents a cross-site scripting flaw discovered in CMS Made Simple version 2.2.5 within the admin/moduleinterface.php script. This issue specifically manifests through the m1_messages parameter, which fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it in the web interface. The vulnerability exists in the administrative section of the CMS, making it particularly concerning as it could allow attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of an authenticated administrator's browser session. The flaw falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is a critical security weakness that enables attackers to inject client-side scripts into web applications. The affected parameter m1_messages is typically used to display system messages or notifications within the CMS admin panel, creating an ideal vector for persistent XSS attacks. When administrators interact with the module interface, the unsanitized message content gets executed as JavaScript code, potentially leading to complete compromise of the administrative interface and underlying system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with the capability to manipulate the CMS environment through the admin interface. An attacker who can inject malicious JavaScript through the m1_messages parameter could potentially steal administrator session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, modify content, or even escalate privileges within the CMS environment. The vulnerability's location within the admin/moduleinterface.php file indicates that it affects the core administrative functionality of the CMS, potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive system configurations and user data. Attackers could leverage this flaw to establish persistent access to the CMS administration panel, making it a significant threat to the integrity and confidentiality of the entire content management system. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges since it targets the administrative interface, meaning that even users with limited access could potentially escalate their privileges through this vector.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-5964 should prioritize immediate patching of the CMS Made Simple installation to version 2.2.6 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for this XSS vulnerability. Organizations should implement proper input validation and output encoding for all parameters used in administrative interfaces, particularly those that display user-provided content. The implementation of Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide additional protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded and executed. Security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments of their CMS installations and ensure that all administrative interfaces properly sanitize and validate input parameters. The use of web application firewalls and security monitoring tools can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts of this vulnerability. Organizations should also implement principle of least privilege access controls for administrative accounts and regularly audit administrative sessions to detect any unauthorized access attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566 for Phishing, as it can be exploited through social engineering to target administrators with malicious payloads that persist in the CMS interface.