CVE-2022-24692 in DSKNet
Summary
by MITRE • 07/18/2022
An issue was discovered in DSK DSKNet 2.16.136.0 and 2.17.136.5. The new menu option within the general Parameters page is vulnerable to stored XSS. The attacker can create a menu option, make it visible to every application user, and conduct session hijacking, account takeover, or malicious code delivery, with the final goal of achieving client-side code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/06/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-24692 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within DSK DSKNet versions 2.16.136.0 and 2.17.136.5. This security weakness resides in the application's general Parameters page where a new menu option functionality has been introduced. The flaw allows malicious actors to inject persistent malicious scripts that will execute whenever legitimate users access the affected application interface. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's menu option creation process, where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized before being stored in the application's database and subsequently rendered to other users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a straightforward yet dangerous attack vector. An attacker with sufficient privileges to create menu options can insert malicious JavaScript code within the menu option parameters. This malicious code gets stored server-side and becomes persistent within the application's configuration. When other users navigate to the application's interface and encounter the malicious menu option, their browsers execute the injected scripts within the context of their authenticated sessions. This stored XSS vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting as the improper handling of input data that is subsequently rendered to users without proper sanitization. The attack follows the typical pattern of a persistent XSS exploit where malicious content is stored on the target server and delivered to users during normal application usage.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple script execution, presenting attackers with multiple attack surfaces for achieving their objectives. The successful exploitation enables session hijacking capabilities where attackers can steal user authentication tokens and impersonate legitimate users within the application. Account takeover becomes a primary concern as attackers can leverage the stored XSS to capture session cookies or manipulate authentication mechanisms. Additionally, the vulnerability facilitates malicious code delivery where attackers can inject more sophisticated payloads including phishing scripts, credential stealers, or even malware distribution mechanisms. The ultimate goal for attackers is client-side code execution that allows them to perform actions beyond the scope of normal user permissions, potentially leading to complete system compromise. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers scripting through web shells and T1566.002 which covers credential access through phishing and social engineering techniques.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from system administrators and security teams. The most effective immediate solution involves implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's menu option creation and rendering processes. All user-supplied data must be sanitized and validated before storage, and any content rendered to users must be properly escaped to prevent script execution. Application developers should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities and prevent unauthorized code injection. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. Additionally, privileged user access controls should be strengthened to limit who can create or modify menu options, reducing the attack surface. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of keeping applications updated and patched, as this issue was likely introduced through a recent feature addition that lacked proper security validation. Organizations should implement automated security scanning tools to detect similar stored XSS vulnerabilities across their web applications and establish secure coding practices that prevent such issues from being introduced in future development cycles.