CVE-2020-22150 in Piwigo
Summary
by MITRE • 07/21/2021
A cross site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in /admin.php?page=permalinks of Piwigo 2.10.1 allows attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/26/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-22150 represents a critical cross site scripting flaw within the Piwigo photo gallery management system version 2.10.1. This vulnerability specifically affects the administrative interface at the /admin.php?page=permalinks endpoint, where user input is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to the browser. The flaw enables attackers to inject malicious scripts that can execute within the context of other users' sessions, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data exfiltration, or further compromise of the affected system. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a common weakness in web application security. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it targets the administrative section of the application, providing potential threat actors with elevated privileges and access to sensitive system functions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the permalink management functionality of Piwigo's administrative interface. When administrators or authenticated users navigate to the permalinks page, the application fails to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before displaying it in the web interface. This allows an attacker to craft malicious payloads that can be executed when other users view the affected page. The vulnerability demonstrates poor security practices in data handling, where the application trusts user input without adequate sanitization mechanisms. According to ATT&CK framework, this represents a technique categorized under T1059.001 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary code through web-based interfaces. The flaw essentially creates a trust boundary violation where untrusted input is treated as trusted content, allowing malicious scripts to run in the context of legitimate users.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-22150 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can lead to comprehensive system compromise when exploited by malicious actors. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can potentially escalate privileges, access sensitive administrative functions, modify or delete gallery content, and steal session cookies to impersonate legitimate users. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where administrators might be logged in and viewing the affected page. Additionally, the attack can be delivered through various vectors including email attachments, social engineering campaigns, or by compromising other systems within the same network. Organizations using Piwigo 2.10.1 are at risk of unauthorized access to their photo galleries, potential data breaches, and possible lateral movement within their network infrastructure. The vulnerability also poses risks to user privacy as attackers could potentially access personal photos or metadata stored within the gallery system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-22150 should focus on immediate patching of the affected Piwigo installation to version 2.10.2 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures including input validation at multiple layers, output encoding for all dynamic content, and regular security audits of web applications. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of administrative interfaces to trusted users only. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious activities around administrative pages, and regular penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. According to industry best practices and security standards, organizations should maintain up-to-date vulnerability management processes and ensure that all web applications undergo regular security assessments to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities like CVE-2020-22150. Regular security training for administrators and users can also help prevent social engineering attacks that might leverage this vulnerability.