CVE-2020-3715 in Magento
Summary
by MITRE
Magento versions 2.3.3 and earlier, 2.2.10 and earlier, 1.14.4.3 and earlier, and 1.9.4.3 and earlier have a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to sensitive information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/30/2020
The stored cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-3715 affects multiple versions of the Magento e-commerce platform across its major release lines including 2.3.3 and earlier, 2.2.10 and earlier, 1.14.4.3 and earlier, and 1.9.4.3 and earlier. This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into the web application's database, which are then executed when other users view affected pages. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Magento platform's content management and user interface components. According to CWE-79, this vulnerability specifically maps to Cross-Site Scripting flaws that occur when user-provided data is stored and later rendered without proper sanitization. The flaw exists in the platform's handling of user-generated content, particularly in areas where product descriptions, customer reviews, or administrative comments are processed and displayed.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to gain access to a Magento administrative account or find a way to inject malicious code through user input fields that are not properly validated. Once successfully exploited, the stored XSS attack can execute scripts in the context of the victim's browser, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can lead to complete account compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive customer data including personal information, payment details, and business-critical data. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it persists in the database and affects all users who view the compromised content, making it a persistent threat that can compromise multiple users over time.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for Magento users who may experience data breaches, customer trust erosion, and potential regulatory compliance violations. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that even if the initial injection point is patched, the malicious content remains in the system and continues to pose risks to users who access it. Organizations using affected Magento versions face potential financial losses, legal consequences, and reputational damage from successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which covers "Account Access Removal" and T1071.001 which covers "Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols" as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access to compromised systems through the web interface. Security teams must understand that this vulnerability can serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, including credential theft, privilege escalation, and data exfiltration operations.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying the vendor-provided security patches for their specific Magento version, implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of all user input fields. Regular security monitoring and log analysis should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts, while user access controls and administrative privileges should be strictly enforced. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that include web application firewalls, content security policies, and regular security audits. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing automated scanning tools to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications and ensure that all user-generated content is properly sanitized before storage and display.