CVE-2022-2291 in Hotel Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 07/12/2022
A vulnerability was found in SourceCodester Hotel Management System 2.0. It has been rated as problematic. This issue affects some unknown processing of the file /ci_hms/search of the component Search. The manipulation of the argument search with the input ">alert("XSS") leads to cross site scripting. The attack may be initiated remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/18/2022
The CVE-2022-2291 vulnerability represents a critical cross site scripting flaw within the SourceCodester Hotel Management System version 2.0, demonstrating a fundamental security weakness in web application input validation and output encoding mechanisms. This vulnerability resides in the search functionality of the system's codeigniter framework implementation, specifically within the ci_hms/search component where user-supplied input is inadequately sanitized before being processed and returned to web clients. The flaw manifests when an attacker crafts malicious input containing script payloads that bypass security controls, allowing arbitrary javascript execution in the context of the victim's browser session.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a classic XSS attack pattern where the attacker manipulates the search parameter with malicious payload characters that include the string ">alert("XSS") which demonstrates a failure in proper HTML escaping and input sanitization. This particular attack vector operates through the GET or POST parameters of the search endpoint, where the application fails to properly encode or validate user input before incorporating it into dynamic web content. The vulnerability is classified as a reflected XSS due to the malicious script being reflected back to the user through the application's response, making it particularly dangerous as it can be delivered via phishing emails, malicious links, or compromised web pages that direct users to exploit the vulnerable search functionality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary javascript code within the victim's browser context. This could enable attackers to steal session cookies, modify application content, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can leverage this vulnerability without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in web-based environments where the application serves multiple users. According to CWE classification, this represents a CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a well-established category of web application vulnerabilities that directly relates to the failure of proper input validation and output encoding. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001: Phishing, as attackers can craft malicious search queries that when executed by victims, result in successful exploitation and potential compromise of the application's security posture.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase, particularly in the search functionality and all user input handling components. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, employ proper HTML escaping for all dynamic content generation, and conduct comprehensive input sanitization using established libraries or frameworks that properly handle user-supplied data. The system should also implement proper parameter validation and sanitize all inputs before processing, with specific attention to the ci_hms/search endpoint and similar search functionalities throughout the application. Regular security code reviews, automated vulnerability scanning, and comprehensive penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the system. Additionally, the application should be updated to a patched version or upgraded to a more secure implementation that properly addresses the input validation and output encoding deficiencies that led to this vulnerability.