CVE-2018-9236 in EasyCreate
Summary
by MITRE
iScripts EasyCreate 3.2.1 has Stored Cross-Site Scripting in the "Site title" field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-9236 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within the iScripts EasyCreate 3.2.1 web application framework. This vulnerability specifically affects the "Site title" field, which serves as a user-input parameter that is subsequently rendered in the application's web interface without adequate sanitization or encoding mechanisms. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist in the application's database and execute whenever the affected page is accessed by other users. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security where input data is not properly sanitized before being incorporated into dynamic web content.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits malicious JavaScript code through the Site title field during the application's configuration or content management process. The application fails to validate or encode this input before storing it in its database, and subsequently retrieves and displays it in web pages without proper output encoding. When authenticated users or administrators view pages containing the maliciously crafted site title, their browsers execute the embedded scripts within the context of their current session. This creates a persistent threat that can be leveraged for session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework under T1059.001 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform a range of malicious activities that can compromise the entire application ecosystem. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal administrative credentials, modify content, redirect users to phishing sites, or even escalate privileges within the application if the affected system lacks proper access controls. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that the malicious payload remains active until manually removed from the database, making it particularly dangerous for long-term persistence. Organizations using iScripts EasyCreate 3.2.1 are at risk of data breaches, unauthorized access, and potential compromise of their entire web application infrastructure, as the vulnerability can be exploited by both authenticated and unauthenticated attackers depending on the application's access controls.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-9236 require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The most effective approach involves implementing strict input sanitization that removes or encodes potentially dangerous characters before storing user data, combined with proper output encoding when rendering content to web browsers. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. Additionally, regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other input fields and application components. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top 10 and the CWE guidelines, particularly focusing on input validation and output encoding as primary defense mechanisms against cross-site scripting attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems to detect and prevent exploitation attempts of this type of vulnerability.