CVE-2018-9237 in EasyCreate
Summary
by MITRE
iScripts EasyCreate 3.2.1 has Stored Cross-Site Scripting in the "Site Description" field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-9237 affects iScripts EasyCreate version 3.2.1 and represents a stored cross-site scripting flaw that specifically targets the "Site Description" field within the application interface. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of persistent XSS attacks where malicious scripts are stored on the server and executed whenever users access the affected page. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web application's data handling processes, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that persists in the database and executes in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize user input submitted through the Site Description field. When an attacker submits malicious JavaScript code within this field, the application stores the input without adequate filtering or encoding, subsequently serving this content to other users who view the site description. This creates a persistent threat where every user who accesses the affected page becomes a potential victim of the stored script execution, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where administrators and regular users may encounter the malicious code. The flaw directly maps to CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a common web application vulnerability where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to both application integrity and user security. Attackers can exploit this flaw to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious websites, or harvest sensitive information from user sessions. The stored nature of the attack means that the malicious payload remains active even after the initial injection, continuously affecting any user who accesses the compromised site description field. This vulnerability can be leveraged to escalate privileges, conduct account takeovers, or establish persistent backdoors within the application environment, making it a critical concern for organizations relying on iScripts EasyCreate for their website management needs. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it affects the core administrative functionality of the platform, potentially allowing unauthorized actors to compromise the entire site management system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-9237 should prioritize immediate input validation and output encoding implementations within the application code. Organizations should implement proper sanitization routines that filter or escape special characters in user-submitted content before storage, particularly focusing on the Site Description field and similar input areas. The solution involves adopting secure coding practices that align with OWASP Top Ten recommendations and ATT&CK framework mitigations for web application vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting script execution within the application context, while regular security audits and input validation testing should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other parts of the application. The most effective remediation includes updating to a patched version of iScripts EasyCreate or implementing comprehensive input sanitization mechanisms that prevent JavaScript code execution in user-facing fields.