CVE-2022-0350 in vditor
Summary
by MITRE • 03/31/2022
Cross-site Scripting (XSS) - Stored in GitHub repository vanessa219/vditor prior to 3.8.13.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-0350 represents a stored cross-site scripting flaw within the vditor markdown editor library maintained by vanessa219. This issue affects versions prior to 3.8.13 and specifically impacts the repository's handling of user input within its markdown rendering functionality. The vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist in the application's database and execute whenever the affected content is rendered to other users. The flaw manifests when the library processes markdown content that contains improperly sanitized HTML elements or JavaScript code, creating a persistent vector for malicious payloads.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the vditor library's rendering engine. When users submit content containing malicious script tags or malformed HTML entities, the library fails to properly sanitize these inputs before storing them in the repository. This stored data is then served to other users without adequate protection mechanisms, enabling the execution of arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the victim's browser. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in input handling and output encoding processes. The flaw demonstrates characteristics of both client-side and server-side XSS vulnerabilities as it allows persistent script execution through stored data rather than reflected payloads.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-0350 extends beyond simple script injection as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, data exfiltration, and user account compromise. When exploited, the stored XSS vulnerability enables threat actors to steal cookies, access user sessions, and potentially escalate privileges within the affected applications. The persistence of the vulnerability means that once a malicious payload is injected, it continues to affect users until the content is manually removed or the library is updated. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in collaborative environments where multiple users interact with shared repositories or documentation systems. The flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which covers the use of malicious code injection in web applications, and T1071.004 which addresses application layer protocol usage through web services.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-0350 require immediate implementation of the vendor-provided fix through updating to version 3.8.13 or later. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input sanitization measures including HTML escaping, content security policy enforcement, and regular security scanning of repository content. The remediation process involves verifying that all user-generated content undergoes proper sanitization before storage and ensuring that the application enforces strict output encoding when rendering markdown content. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all applications utilizing the affected library and establish monitoring procedures for detecting unauthorized code injection attempts in repository content. The fix addresses the root cause by implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms that prevent malicious scripts from being stored or executed within the application context.