CVE-2019-10646 in Wolf
Summary
by MITRE
Wolf CMS v0.8.3.1 is affected by cross site scripting (XSS) in the module Add Snippet (/?/admin/snippet/add). This allows an attacker to insert arbitrary JavaScript as user input, which will be executed whenever the affected snippet is loaded.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2023
Wolf CMS version 0.8.3.1 contains a cross site scripting vulnerability in the module Add Snippet functionality at the path /?/admin/snippet/add. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross site scripting flaws in web applications. The flaw occurs when user input is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered in the web page context, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code through the snippet addition interface. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it enables attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the affected system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it represents a critical security weakness in the content management system's input handling mechanisms. When an attacker successfully injects malicious JavaScript through the snippet module, the code executes whenever the affected snippet is loaded, creating a persistent threat vector that can affect all users who view pages containing the compromised snippet. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers credential access through spearphishing attachments, as the injected scripts could potentially harvest user credentials or session tokens. The attack surface is particularly broad since snippets are commonly used in CMS environments to add dynamic content, making this vulnerability exploitable across multiple user interactions.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability demonstrates a failure in proper input sanitization and output encoding practices within the Wolf CMS application. The module appears to accept raw user input without adequate validation or sanitization processes, allowing HTML and JavaScript code to be stored directly in the database and subsequently executed when pages are rendered. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's security architecture, as the system should employ proper escaping mechanisms and content security policies to prevent such injection attacks. The vulnerability is classified as a reflected XSS issue since the malicious payload is stored and then reflected back to users when the snippet is rendered, rather than being directly reflected from the request parameters.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate input validation and sanitization of all user-supplied content within the snippet module. The application should implement proper HTML escaping and output encoding mechanisms to prevent JavaScript execution in contexts where it is not intended. Security patches should enforce strict content type validation and reject any input containing potentially dangerous HTML tags or JavaScript constructs. Organizations should also implement content security policies to further limit the execution of inline scripts and restrict the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Additionally, the system should be updated to a newer version of Wolf CMS that addresses this vulnerability, as version 0.8.3.1 is no longer supported and likely contains additional security weaknesses. Regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other modules and components of the CMS.
This vulnerability exemplifies the critical importance of implementing proper input validation and output encoding as fundamental security controls in web applications. The presence of such a flaw in a content management system demonstrates how seemingly minor security oversights can create significant attack vectors that compromise user sessions and enable further exploitation. The attack scenario involves an attacker leveraging the snippet module to inject malicious code that persists and executes in the browser context of other users, making this a particularly dangerous vulnerability for collaborative content management environments where multiple users may interact with the same content. The remediation process should also include comprehensive security training for developers working with the CMS to ensure proper implementation of security controls and prevention of similar issues in future development cycles.