CVE-2019-8129 in Magento
Summary
by MITRE
A stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability exists in Magento 2.2 prior to 2.2.10, Magento 2.3 prior to 2.3.3 or 2.3.2-p1. An authenticated user can exploit it by injecting an embedded expression into a translation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw that affects Magento e-commerce platforms, specifically targeting versions prior to the mentioned security patches. The vulnerability resides in the translation handling mechanism where authenticated users can inject malicious embedded expressions that persist in the system and execute when other users view translated content. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in web applications that allow attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The security implications extend beyond simple script execution as this vulnerability can be leveraged for session hijacking, credential theft, and other malicious activities that compromise the entire e-commerce platform.
The technical exploitation mechanism involves an authenticated user with sufficient privileges to modify translation files or content that gets rendered in the user interface. When the malicious payload is embedded within translation strings, it becomes persistent across user sessions and executes whenever the translated content is displayed. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious code is not limited to a single request but remains active in the system's database or cache, making it particularly dangerous for widespread impact. The vulnerability specifically targets the translation system which is fundamental to Magento's internationalization capabilities, making it a high-value target for attackers seeking to compromise multiple users simultaneously.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for organizations using affected Magento versions as it allows attackers to escalate privileges through session manipulation and data exfiltration. An attacker who gains access to an authenticated user account can inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to complete compromise of user sessions and sensitive data exposure. The vulnerability affects not just individual user accounts but can impact entire customer bases as the malicious code executes for any user who encounters the affected translated content. This makes it particularly dangerous in environments where translation files are frequently updated or where multiple administrators have access to translation systems.
Organizations should immediately implement the security patches released by Magento for versions 2.2.10, 2.3.3, and 2.3.2-p1 to remediate this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding for all translation strings can provide defense-in-depth measures. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual translation modifications and user activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of principle of least privilege in administrative access, ensuring that only necessary personnel have the ability to modify translation content. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to mitigate the impact of similar vulnerabilities in the future, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter execution. Regular security assessments of internationalization features and translation systems should be conducted to identify potential injection points and prevent similar stored XSS vulnerabilities from being introduced in future development cycles.