CVE-2020-19148 in Jfinal
Summary
by MITRE • 09/15/2021
Cross Site Scripting (XSS) in Jfinal CMS v4.7.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via the 'Nickname' parameter in the component '/jfinal_cms/front/person/profile.html'.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2021
The vulnerability CVE-2020-19148 represents a critical cross site scripting flaw identified in Jfinal CMS version 4.7.1 and earlier releases. This security weakness resides within the application's front-end user profile component located at /jfinal_cms/front/person/profile.html where the system fails to properly sanitize user input submitted through the Nickname parameter. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities in web applications. Attackers can exploit this weakness by injecting malicious script code into the Nickname field, which then gets executed when other users view the affected profile page. The remote exploitation capability means that malicious actors do not need physical access to the system or local network presence to carry out attacks, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in publicly accessible web environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic input validation failure where the application accepts user-supplied data without adequate sanitization or encoding mechanisms. When users submit content through the Nickname parameter, the system stores this information directly into the database without proper HTML escaping or script filtering. This allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript payloads that can execute within the context of other users' browsers. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as these XSS payloads can be crafted to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious sites, or even harvest sensitive information from the browser. The vulnerability affects the entire user base that interacts with the profile viewing functionality, creating a wide attack surface that can be leveraged for various malicious purposes.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to both user privacy and system integrity within Jfinal CMS deployments. The remote execution capability means that attackers can compromise multiple users simply by having them view affected profiles, potentially leading to widespread session hijacking or data exfiltration across the entire user community. The attack vector is particularly insidious because it requires minimal technical expertise to exploit, making it attractive to both skilled and less sophisticated threat actors. Organizations using affected versions of Jfinal CMS face potential regulatory compliance issues, especially in environments governed by standards such as iso 27001 or pci dss where inadequate input validation can constitute security control failures. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering attacks through malicious web content, demonstrating how this specific flaw can be weaponized in broader attack campaigns.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-19148 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Jfinal CMS installations to version 4.7.2 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper input sanitization. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation at multiple layers including client-side and server-side filtering to prevent malicious content from being stored or executed. The implementation of content security policies and proper HTML encoding mechanisms should be enforced throughout the application to prevent script execution in user-generated content areas. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in profile submissions that might indicate attempted exploitation. Network segmentation and access controls should be reviewed to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. The remediation process should also include user education about the risks of interacting with untrusted profile content and the importance of maintaining updated software versions to protect against known vulnerabilities.