CVE-2019-12362 in EmpireCMS
Summary
by MITRE
EmpireCMS 7.5.0 has XSS via the HTTP Referer header to e/member/doaction.php.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/24/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2019-12362 represents a cross-site scripting flaw discovered in EmpireCMS version 7.5.0, specifically within the e/member/doaction.php script. This issue arises from inadequate input validation and sanitization of the HTTP Referer header, which is commonly used by web applications to track the source of incoming requests. The Referer header contains information about the previous web page from which a link was clicked to reach the current page, making it a potential vector for malicious input injection.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious Referer header value that contains scripted content, which is then processed by the vulnerable doaction.php endpoint without proper sanitization. When the web application displays this header value in its response, the embedded malicious script executes within the context of a victim's browser session. This allows attackers to potentially steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize user input, specifically in the context of HTTP headers, which represents a fundamental weakness in web application security design.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. Attackers can leverage this flaw to compromise user accounts and gain unauthorized access to sensitive information within the CMS. The vulnerability affects the authentication and authorization mechanisms of EmpireCMS, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or manipulate user sessions. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for script injection and T1531 for credential access, demonstrating how a single input validation flaw can enable multiple attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-12362 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output sanitization measures. Organizations should immediately upgrade to a patched version of EmpireCMS that addresses this vulnerability, as the vendor has likely released security updates to resolve the issue. Additionally, administrators should implement proper header sanitization techniques that filter or escape special characters in HTTP Referer values before processing them. Web application firewalls can provide additional protection layers by monitoring and blocking suspicious Referer header patterns. Security configurations should also include disabling unnecessary HTTP headers when they are not required for application functionality, reducing the attack surface. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses across the entire application stack, as this vulnerability type often indicates broader architectural security gaps in web applications.