CVE-2022-22853 in Hospital Patient Record Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 02/16/2022
A stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Hospital Patient Record Management System v1.0 allows attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML via a crafted payload inserted into the Name field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/19/2022
The CVE-2022-22853 vulnerability represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within the Hospital Patient Record Management System version 1.0, exposing healthcare organizations to significant cybersecurity risks. This vulnerability specifically targets the Name field input validation mechanism, allowing malicious actors to inject persistent malicious scripts that can compromise user sessions and data integrity. The flaw exists in the application's failure to properly sanitize user input before storing and subsequently rendering it within web pages, creating an environment where attacker-controlled content can be executed in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices within the system's data handling pipeline. When a malicious user submits a crafted payload containing HTML or JavaScript code into the Name field, the application stores this content without proper sanitization or encoding. Subsequently, when other users view the patient records containing this malicious input, their browsers execute the embedded scripts, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payload persists in the database and affects all users who access the affected records, making it particularly dangerous in healthcare environments where sensitive patient data is continuously accessed.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-22853 extends beyond simple script execution, as it violates fundamental security principles outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. Healthcare organizations face severe consequences including potential patient data breaches, compliance violations under HIPAA regulations, and reputational damage when such vulnerabilities are exploited. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that can be leveraged for advanced attacks including credential harvesting, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the healthcare system. Attackers can craft sophisticated payloads that exploit the stored XSS to establish persistent backdoors or perform man-in-the-middle attacks against authenticated users accessing patient records.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security architecture improvements. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization using allow-list validation for all user-supplied data, particularly in fields that may contain HTML content. The system requires proper output encoding mechanisms that prevent malicious scripts from executing even if injected content bypasses input validation. Security patches should be prioritized for immediate deployment, and the application should be configured to use Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution. Additionally, regular security testing including automated vulnerability scanning and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in the healthcare system's web applications. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on credential access through web application vulnerabilities, emphasizing the need for comprehensive application security measures in healthcare environments.