CVE-2022-28074 in Halo
Summary
by MITRE • 04/22/2022
Halo-1.5.0 was discovered to contain a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability via \admin\index.html#/system/tools.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/28/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-28074 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within the Halo content management system version 1.5.0. This security weakness specifically manifests in the administrative interface at the path admin/index.html#/system/tools, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on this platform for their web content management needs. The vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist in the application's database, enabling them to execute arbitrary code in the context of other users' browsers when they access the affected administrative tools. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payload remains active even after the initial injection, creating a persistent threat that can affect multiple users over time.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the administrative tools section of the Halo platform, where user input is not properly sanitized or validated before being stored and subsequently rendered to other users. This flaw falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically classified as a stored XSS vulnerability where the malicious script is permanently stored on the server and executed whenever affected pages are loaded. The attack vector leverages the administrative interface's trust in user-provided data, allowing an authenticated attacker with access to the admin tools to inject malicious JavaScript code that can be executed by other administrators or users who view the affected pages. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of input validation and output encoding that forms the foundation of secure web application development practices.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-28074 extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, data theft, privilege escalation, and potential lateral movement within the affected network. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain unauthorized access to administrative functions, modify content, steal user credentials, or even establish persistent backdoors within the web application. The vulnerability's presence in the system tools section of the administrative interface makes it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged to compromise the entire administrative environment, potentially allowing attackers to modify system configurations, inject malware, or exfiltrate sensitive data from the CMS. This threat is further amplified by the fact that the vulnerability affects the core administrative functionality, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to gain control over the entire content management platform.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-28074 should focus on immediate remediation through the official patch provided by the Halo development team, as well as implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. Organizations should ensure that all user-provided input is properly sanitized before being stored in the database, with particular attention to the administrative tools section where this vulnerability was discovered. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers, proper input validation frameworks, and regular security audits of administrative interfaces can significantly reduce the risk of similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation, privileged access management, and monitoring solutions to detect and prevent unauthorized access to administrative tools. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to credential access and privilege escalation, emphasizing the importance of securing administrative interfaces and implementing proper access controls to prevent unauthorized users from exploiting such weaknesses in web applications.