CVE-2020-14927 in Navigate CMS
Summary
by MITRE
Navigate CMS 2.9 allows XSS via the Alias or Real URL field of the "Web Sites > Create > Aliases > Add" screen.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-14927 affects Navigate CMS version 2.9 and represents a cross-site scripting flaw that specifically targets the alias and real URL fields within the web sites management interface. This issue resides in the administrative section of the content management system where users can create and manage website aliases through the "Web Sites > Create > Aliases > Add" screen. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it within the web application's response.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to adequately filter or escape special characters in the Alias or Real URL input fields. When administrators or users input malicious scripts into these fields, the system does not properly encode or validate the content before storing or displaying it. This allows attackers to inject malicious javascript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected pages. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a stored XSS variant where the malicious payload persists in the application's database and executes whenever the affected content is rendered.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to the integrity and security of the Navigate CMS environment. An attacker who can successfully exploit this vulnerability gains the ability to execute arbitrary code in the browsers of authenticated users, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or privilege escalation within the CMS. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can be leveraged to perform actions such as modifying website content, accessing sensitive administrative functions, or redirecting users to malicious websites. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it exists in the core alias management functionality that is likely used frequently by administrators, increasing the attack surface and potential exposure.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal prerequisites and can be executed through standard web application attack techniques. Attackers typically need only access to the CMS administrative interface or the ability to influence the creation of aliases through legitimate means such as user registration or content submission processes. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by both authenticated users with limited privileges and external attackers who can gain access to the application through other attack vectors. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for Data from Information Repositories and T1566.001 for Phishing, as it enables attackers to establish persistent access and conduct social engineering campaigns through compromised user sessions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-14927 should focus on immediate input validation and output encoding improvements. Organizations should implement strict sanitization of all user inputs in the alias and real URL fields, ensuring that special characters are properly escaped or filtered before storage. The application should employ context-specific encoding mechanisms that prevent script execution in different output contexts such as HTML, JavaScript, and URL contexts. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Regular security updates and patches should be applied immediately upon availability, while input validation should be enhanced to reject potentially malicious payloads through regular expressions and whitelisting approaches. The implementation of proper access controls and audit logging can also help detect unauthorized attempts to exploit this vulnerability, while security awareness training for administrators can reduce the risk of successful exploitation through social engineering approaches.