CVE-2020-36396 in LavaLite
Summary
by MITRE • 07/03/2021
A stored cross site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the /admin/roles/role component of LavaLite 5.8.0 allows authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML via a crafted payload entered into the "New" parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2021
The vulnerability CVE-2020-36396 represents a critical stored cross site scripting flaw within the LavaLite content management system version 5.8.0. This security weakness exists specifically within the administrative roles management component, making it particularly dangerous as it targets authenticated users with administrative privileges. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before storing and rendering it within the application's web interface. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads and submitting them through the "New" parameter field, which then gets stored in the system's database and subsequently executed when other users view the affected role management pages.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a classic stored XSS attack pattern where the malicious input is first accepted and stored by the application's backend processing logic. In LavaLite's case, the "/admin/roles/role" component lacks proper sanitization of the "New" parameter, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code or HTML content. When other authenticated users navigate to the role management interface, their browsers execute the stored malicious code, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. This vulnerability is classified as a CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security. The attack vector requires minimal privileges as attackers only need authenticated access to the administrative interface, making it particularly concerning for organizations where administrative accounts are compromised.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-36396 extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with persistent access to the compromised administrative environment. Once successfully exploited, attackers can manipulate user sessions, modify role permissions, access sensitive data, and potentially escalate their privileges further within the application. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload remains active even after the initial injection, continuously affecting any user who accesses the affected administrative components. This characteristic aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, as the vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the victim's browser context. Organizations using LavaLite 5.8.0 face significant risk of unauthorized access and data compromise, particularly in environments where administrative privileges are shared among multiple users.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-36396 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. The primary solution involves implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the LavaLite application, specifically within the role management component. Developers should sanitize all user inputs using established libraries and frameworks that properly escape HTML and JavaScript characters before storing data. 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. Organizations should also enforce strict access controls and monitoring of administrative activities to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to OWASP Top Ten security guidelines, particularly focusing on input validation and output encoding as recommended in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices. Patch management procedures should be established to ensure timely updates to the LavaLite platform and other web applications to address known vulnerabilities.