CVE-2022-24563 in Genixcms
Summary
by MITRE • 03/03/2022
In Genixcms v1.1.11, a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability exists in /gxadmin/index.php?page=themes&view=options" via the intro_title and intro_image parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-24563 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within Genixcms version 1.1.11 that specifically targets the administrative interface. This issue manifests in the /gxadmin/index.php?page=themes&view=options endpoint where user-controllable parameters intro_title and intro_image fail to properly sanitize input data. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious javascript code that persists in the application's database and executes whenever the affected page is accessed by authenticated users with administrative privileges. This stored XSS vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited by malicious actors to compromise the CMS administration interface and potentially escalate their privileges within the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Genixcms application. When administrators or users with appropriate permissions navigate to the themes options page, the application retrieves stored values from the database without proper sanitization before rendering them in the web interface. The intro_title and intro_image parameters serve as entry points for malicious payload injection, where javascript code can be embedded and subsequently executed in the context of the victim's browser session. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting as the improper handling of input data that is then reflected back to users without adequate sanitization or encoding. The flaw enables attackers to execute arbitrary javascript code within the browser of authenticated users, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or data exfiltration.
The operational impact of this stored XSS vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with persistent access to administrative functions within the Genixcms environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can manipulate the content management system to redirect users to malicious websites, steal administrator session cookies, or modify website content to include additional malicious payloads. The persistent nature of the vulnerability means that once exploited, the malicious code remains active until manually removed from the database, creating a long-term threat vector that can affect multiple users over time. This vulnerability particularly impacts organizations relying on Genixcms for content management, as it undermines the integrity of the administrative interface and potentially compromises the entire website infrastructure. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes social engineering tactics that can be leveraged through web-based attacks, and T1071 which covers application layer protocols that can be exploited for code execution.
Organizations utilizing Genixcms version 1.1.11 should immediately implement mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves applying the vendor-supplied patch or upgrade to a version that properly sanitizes input parameters before storage and rendering. Administrators should also implement input validation mechanisms at multiple layers including application-level filtering and output encoding to prevent malicious scripts from being stored or executed. Additional mitigations include implementing proper access controls and monitoring for suspicious activity within the administrative interface, as well as conducting regular security assessments of web applications to identify similar vulnerabilities. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit this vulnerability. The remediation process should also include comprehensive user education regarding the risks of clicking on suspicious links or entering untrusted content into administrative interfaces, as this vulnerability could potentially be exploited through social engineering attacks that trick administrators into inadvertently executing malicious code.