CVE-2018-7202 in ProjectSend
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in ProjectSend before r1053. XSS exists in the "Name" field on the My Account page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/23/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7202 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within ProjectSend, a web-based file sharing platform designed for managing and distributing files between clients and administrators. This security weakness exists in versions prior to r1053 and specifically affects the "Name" field on the My Account page functionality. The issue arises from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly handle malicious user input, creating an avenue for attackers to inject harmful scripts into the application's response. This particular vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a critical security weakness in web applications where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of a victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or other malicious activities that compromise user security and application integrity.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits malicious script code within the Name field during account modification. When the application displays this data without proper sanitization, the injected script executes in the browser of any user who views the affected page. This particular flaw demonstrates a failure in the application's data validation and output encoding processes, which should have implemented proper input sanitization and HTML escaping mechanisms to prevent script injection. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects a core user management function and operates within the context of authenticated sessions, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or access sensitive user information. The attack vector requires minimal user interaction and can be executed through simple input manipulation, making it a high-risk vulnerability that could be exploited by both authenticated and unauthenticated attackers depending on the application's configuration and access controls.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-7202 extends beyond simple script execution to encompass potential data breaches, session manipulation, and user impersonation attacks. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or inject malware into user browsers, ultimately compromising the confidentiality and integrity of the file sharing platform. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on ProjectSend for client file distribution, as compromised user sessions could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive documents and restricted areas of the application. This flaw also creates potential for supply chain attacks if attackers can manipulate the application's user interface to redirect users to phishing sites or deliver malicious payloads. The vulnerability's persistence in versions prior to r1053 indicates a failure in the application's security testing and code review processes, suggesting that similar issues may exist in other input fields throughout the application. Organizations utilizing ProjectSend should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader security assessment, as it may indicate systemic issues in the application's input validation and output encoding practices.
The recommended mitigations for CVE-2018-7202 involve immediate implementation of proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms within the ProjectSend application. The most effective approach includes implementing strict input validation that rejects or sanitizes potentially malicious characters before processing user data, combined with comprehensive output encoding that ensures all user-provided content is properly escaped when rendered in HTML contexts. Organizations should upgrade to ProjectSend version r1053 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against script execution, while regular security testing and code reviews should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. The mitigation strategy should also include user education about the risks of entering untrusted data into web applications and monitoring for suspicious activities in the application logs. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to the principle of least privilege in web application development, particularly in file sharing systems where sensitive data is frequently exchanged between users. The implementation of these security measures aligns with the ATT&CK framework's defense in depth principles, which emphasize multiple layers of security controls to protect against various attack vectors and reduce the overall risk surface of web applications.