CVE-2018-7198 in October
Summary
by MITRE
October CMS through 1.0.431 allows XSS by entering HTML on the Add Posts page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7198 affects October CMS versions through 1.0.431 and represents a cross-site scripting weakness that occurs when users input HTML content through the Add Posts administrative interface. This flaw enables attackers to inject malicious scripts into posts that can then be executed in the browsers of other users who view these posts, creating a persistent security risk within the content management system. The vulnerability specifically manifests in the post creation functionality where HTML content is not properly sanitized or escaped before being rendered to end users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the October CMS administrative interface. When administrators or users enter HTML content into the post creation form, the system fails to adequately filter or escape special characters that could be interpreted as executable script code. This lack of proper sanitization creates an environment where malicious actors can embed javascript code, iframe tags, or other potentially harmful HTML elements that execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications, where improper validation of user-supplied data allows malicious scripts to be executed in the victim's browser.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-7198 extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, and data exfiltration. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can steal cookies, access user sessions, modify content, or redirect victims to phishing sites. The persistent nature of the vulnerability means that once malicious code is injected into a post, it will affect all users who view that content until the post is modified or deleted. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where multiple administrators or users contribute content, as a single compromised account could lead to widespread exploitation across the entire platform.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms throughout the October CMS application. The system should employ comprehensive HTML filtering that removes or escapes dangerous elements such as script tags, event handlers, and iframe constructs before rendering content to users. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, conduct regular security audits of user input handling mechanisms, and ensure that all October CMS installations are updated to versions that have addressed this specific vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.007 for Scripting and T1566.001 for Phishing, highlighting the exploitation techniques that attackers can use to leverage such XSS vulnerabilities for broader attack objectives.