CVE-2018-9928 in MetInfo
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in save.php in MetInfo 6.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the webname or weburl parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/23/2020
The CVE-2018-9928 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in MetInfo 6.0's save.php component that exposes web applications to persistent malicious code injection attacks. This vulnerability specifically targets the webname and weburl parameters, which are processed without adequate input sanitization or output encoding mechanisms. The flaw exists within the content management system's configuration saving functionality where user-supplied parameters are directly incorporated into web responses without proper validation, creating an exploitable vector for attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers.
This XSS vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which categorizes improper neutralization of input during web page generation as a fundamental weakness in web application security. The vulnerability enables attackers to inject malicious scripts that can execute in the victim's browser when they view affected pages, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The attack surface is particularly concerning because it targets administrative configuration parameters that are often handled with elevated privileges, potentially allowing attackers to escalate their privileges or gain unauthorized access to sensitive system functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be leveraged to establish persistent malicious presence within the web application environment. Attackers can craft payloads that exploit the reflected XSS nature to steal cookies, session tokens, or perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in publicly accessible web applications. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for scripting and T1531 for credential access, demonstrating how the initial XSS exploitation can lead to more sophisticated attack chains.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-9928 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening measures. The primary fix involves implementing proper input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in dynamic web content generation. Developers should employ context-appropriate encoding mechanisms such as HTML entity encoding for web content, JavaScript encoding for script contexts, and URL encoding for URI parameters. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide defense-in-depth against malicious script execution even if input validation fails. Regular security assessments and input validation testing should be integrated into the development lifecycle to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future releases, with particular attention to parameter handling in configuration and administrative interfaces where such flaws are most commonly found.