CVE-2022-2020 in Prison Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 06/09/2022
A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, has been found in SourceCodester Prison Management System 1.0. Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality of the file /admin/?page=system_info of the component System Name Handler. The manipulation with the input leads to cross site scripting. The attack may be launched remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/10/2022
This vulnerability resides within the SourceCodester Prison Management System version 1.0, specifically targeting the system information handling component. The flaw manifests in the /admin/?page=system_info endpoint where the System Name Handler processes user input without adequate sanitization mechanisms. This cross-site scripting vulnerability (XSS) represents a critical security weakness that allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the application's response, potentially compromising user sessions and system integrity. The vulnerability's classification as problematic indicates its potential for significant harm within the context of a prison management system that likely handles sensitive operational data and security information.
The technical exploitation occurs through improper input validation within the system name handler component, where user-supplied data flows directly into the web response without appropriate encoding or filtering. This allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that execute within the context of other users' browsers when they access the affected page. The vulnerability's remote attack vector means that an attacker can exploit this flaw from outside the local network without requiring physical access or prior authentication. The disclosure of the exploit to the public community accelerates the threat landscape, as it provides adversaries with readily available attack code that can be adapted for various target environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as prison management systems contain highly sensitive information including inmate records, security protocols, and operational procedures. An attacker could leverage this XSS vulnerability to steal administrative credentials, monitor privileged user activities, or even manipulate system configurations to compromise the integrity of the prison management operations. The attack could potentially lead to unauthorized access to secure areas, modification of inmate records, or disruption of critical security systems that rely on the integrity of the management platform.
Security mitigations should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's data flow. The system should employ Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution, and all user-supplied data must be properly sanitized before being rendered in web responses. Additionally, the application should implement proper access controls and authentication mechanisms to limit exposure of sensitive administrative functions. According to CWE guidelines, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers spearphishing with a malicious attachment or link. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar input handling vulnerabilities, and the system should be updated to remove or patch the vulnerable component entirely. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts targeting administrative interfaces.