CVE-2022-1816 in Zoo Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 05/23/2022
A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, has been found in Zoo Management System 1.0. Affected by this issue is /zoo/admin/public_html/view_accounts?type=zookeeper of the content module. The manipulation of the argument admin_name with the input alert(1) leads to an authenticated cross site scripting. Exploit details have been disclosed to the public.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2022
This vulnerability exists within the Zoo Management System version 1.0 and represents a critical authenticated cross site scripting flaw that allows attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of authenticated users. The vulnerability specifically affects the /zoo/admin/public_html/view_accounts?type=zookeeper endpoint within the content module, where user input is improperly sanitized and directly reflected in the application's output without adequate validation or encoding mechanisms. The flaw occurs when an attacker manipulates the admin_name parameter by injecting the payload alert(1), which demonstrates the system's failure to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before rendering it in the web page context. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications, where improper input validation allows malicious code execution in the victim's browser. The authenticated nature of this vulnerability means that an attacker must first obtain valid credentials to exploit it, but once authenticated, they can leverage this flaw to perform actions such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or executing arbitrary JavaScript code within the target's browser environment. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and privilege escalation within the application's administrative interface.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability are significant for organizations using this particular version of the Zoo Management System, as it creates a persistent security risk that can be exploited by both internal and external threat actors who gain legitimate administrative access. Attackers can use this vulnerability to maintain persistent access to the system by injecting malicious scripts that will execute whenever the affected page is loaded, potentially allowing them to establish backdoors or exfiltrate sensitive data. The fact that exploit details have been publicly disclosed increases the risk profile substantially, as it provides threat actors with a ready-made method for targeting systems running this vulnerable version. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059.001 technique for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically JavaScript execution, and T1566.001 for Phishing with Malicious Attachments or links, as the XSS payload could be used to deliver additional malicious content. Organizations running this software are particularly vulnerable because the system appears to lack proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms that would prevent such injection attacks from succeeding.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase, particularly in areas where user-supplied data is processed and displayed. The immediate fix should involve implementing proper HTML entity encoding for all user-provided input before rendering it in the web interface, which would neutralize the XSS payload and prevent script execution. Additionally, organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit the sources from which scripts can be loaded and executed within the application's context. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application, as this flaw likely indicates broader issues with data sanitization practices. The system should also enforce proper authentication and authorization controls to limit the scope of potential exploitation, while implementing logging and monitoring to detect suspicious activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to provide additional protection layers against such attacks, and ensure that all software components are kept up to date with the latest security patches from the vendor to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation and output encoding practices in preventing cross site scripting attacks, which remain one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws.