CVE-2018-8957 in CoverCMS
Summary
by MITRE
CoverCMS v1.1.6 has XSS via the fourth input box to index.php, related to admina/mconfigs.inc.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2020
CVE-2018-8957 represents a cross-site scripting vulnerability identified in CoverCMS version 1.1.6, specifically affecting the administrative configuration management component. This vulnerability resides within the admina/mconfigs.inc.php file and is triggered through the fourth input parameter in the index.php script, making it a critical security flaw that could enable attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of authenticated admin sessions. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding, where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages. The attack vector involves an authenticated administrator interacting with the CMS administration interface, where the fourth input box in the index.php form fails to implement proper input sanitization or output encoding mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to have access to the administrative interface, typically through valid credentials, as the vulnerability is not directly accessible from the public-facing website. When an administrator submits data through the fourth input field, the malicious payload gets stored or directly executed within the admin session context, potentially allowing for session hijacking, privilege escalation, or data exfiltration. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices where user input is directly incorporated into dynamic web content without proper sanitization, creating an environment where malicious scripts can be injected and executed in the browser of the authenticated administrator. This represents a classic server-side injection vulnerability that could be leveraged for persistent attacks against the CMS administration system.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-8957 extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with potential access to sensitive administrative functions and data within the CMS. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could modify configuration settings, upload malicious files, create new user accounts, or access confidential information stored within the CMS database. The vulnerability's location within the mconfigs.inc.php file suggests it affects core configuration management functions, potentially allowing for complete system compromise if the attacker can elevate privileges through the compromised admin session. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers scripting through web shell execution, and T1566 which involves spearphishing with a malicious attachment, as the attack could be initiated through social engineering to obtain admin credentials followed by exploitation of this XSS flaw.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-8957 should focus on immediate patching of the CoverCMS application to version 1.1.7 or later, which contains the necessary input sanitization fixes. Organizations should implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application, ensuring that all user-supplied data is sanitized before being processed or displayed. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be executed within the browser context. Regular security audits of web applications should include thorough input validation testing to identify similar vulnerabilities, while privileged account monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual administrative activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, multi-factor authentication should be implemented for administrative accounts to reduce the impact of credential compromise, and web application firewalls can be deployed to detect and block suspicious input patterns that may indicate XSS attack attempts. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines, particularly focusing on proper input validation, output encoding, and secure session management to prevent similar flaws from occurring in future development cycles.