CVE-2020-24138 in Wcms
Summary
by MITRE • 04/07/2021
Cross Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in wcms 0.3.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script and HTML via the pagename parameter to wex/html.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/11/2021
This cross site scripting vulnerability exists in the wcms 0.3.2 content management system where improper input validation allows remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability specifically affects the pagename parameter in the wex/html.php endpoint, which fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages. This flaw enables attackers to inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code that executes when other users view the affected page, creating a persistent vector for malicious activity. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross site scripting flaws where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with the ability to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious sites, or even establish persistent backdoors within the compromised web application. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that appear legitimate to users, making detection more difficult and increasing the potential for successful exploitation. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the content management system by compromising the integrity of dynamic page generation, potentially allowing full compromise of user sessions and unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions. This represents a critical security risk for any organization relying on the affected version of wcms for web content management.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The immediate fix involves sanitizing all user input parameters including the pagename parameter in wex/html.php to remove or escape potentially dangerous characters such as angle brackets, script tags, and event handlers. Organizations should also implement content security policies to prevent unauthorized script execution and ensure proper encoding of dynamic content before rendering. Regular security testing including automated vulnerability scanning and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar input validation flaws across the entire application stack. The remediation process should follow established security frameworks such as the owasp top ten guidelines and apply defense in depth principles to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other parts of the system. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and monitoring for unusual parameter values can help detect exploitation attempts and provide early warning of potential attacks targeting this or similar vulnerabilities.