CVE-2020-15183 in SOY CMS
Summary
by MITRE
SoyCMS 3.0.2 and earlier is affected by Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) which leads to Remote Code Execution (RCE) from a known vulnerability. This allows remote attackers to force the administrator to edit files once the adminsitrator loads a specially crafted webpage.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/18/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-15183 affects SoyCMS version 3.0.2 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that demonstrates the dangerous escalation path from reflected cross-site scripting to remote code execution. This vulnerability resides within the content management system's handling of user input, specifically in parameters that are not properly sanitized or validated before being returned to users. The flaw creates a pathway where malicious actors can inject malicious scripts into web responses that are then executed in the context of an administrator's browser session, making it particularly dangerous for privileged users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows a classic reflected XSS pattern where user-supplied input is directly incorporated into web responses without adequate sanitization or encoding. When an administrator clicks on a maliciously crafted link or visits a compromised webpage, the injected script executes in their browser context, potentially allowing attackers to perform actions with the administrator's privileges. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting flaw, which occurs when user input is immediately reflected back in the application's response without proper validation or encoding. The attack vector specifically targets the application's parameter handling mechanisms, where input validation is insufficient to prevent malicious payloads from being processed and returned to users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple XSS exploitation, as it enables remote code execution through a well-known attack pattern that leverages the administrator's elevated privileges. Once an administrator loads a malicious webpage, the attacker can manipulate the CMS to modify files, potentially gaining complete control over the web application and underlying system. This represents a significant compromise of the system's integrity and confidentiality, as the attacker can execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the administrative user. The vulnerability's exploitation requires the administrator to actively visit the malicious page, but this social engineering aspect makes it particularly effective in real-world scenarios where administrators may unknowingly click on compromised links.
The attack follows the ATT&CK framework's T1566.001 technique for Initial Access through Spearphishing Attachments, where the malicious webpage serves as the delivery mechanism. The subsequent exploitation follows T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter using PowerShell or other scripting languages. The vulnerability's persistence mechanism allows for long-term access and data exfiltration, as the compromised administrator account provides access to all CMS functionalities including user management, file operations, and system configuration changes. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, output encoding, and proper parameter sanitization to prevent this vulnerability from being exploited.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase, particularly in areas that handle user-supplied parameters. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular security updates and patch management processes should be enforced to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads targeting these specific attack patterns. The vulnerability's classification as a high-risk issue under CWE-79 necessitates immediate remediation efforts, including code reviews to identify similar input handling patterns that may be susceptible to the same attack vector, and establishing secure coding practices that prevent user input from being directly reflected in application responses without proper sanitization.