CVE-2022-31301 in Haraj
Summary
by MITRE • 06/16/2022
Haraj v3.7 was discovered to contain a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Post Ads component.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/17/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-31301 represents a critical security flaw within the Haraj v3.7 platform that exposes users to persistent cross-site scripting attacks through its Post Ads component. This issue falls under the broader category of web application security vulnerabilities that can compromise user sessions and data integrity. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that malicious input is permanently saved on the server and subsequently executed whenever other users view the affected content, creating a persistent threat vector that can affect multiple victims over time. The vulnerability specifically targets the advertisement posting functionality, which serves as a primary interaction point for users within the platform, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to exploit user trust and engagement.
The technical implementation of this flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the Post Ads component of the Haraj application. When users submit advertisement content through the platform, the system fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied data before storing it in the database. This allows attackers to inject malicious javascript code into advertisement posts, which then executes in the browsers of other users who view these advertisements. The vulnerability manifests when the application renders user-generated content without sufficient security measures to prevent script execution, creating a direct pathway for attackers to establish persistent footholds within the user base. This type of vulnerability is classified as CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-31301 extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it provides attackers with the capability to manipulate user experiences and potentially deliver malware payloads. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to redirect users to malicious websites, steal session cookies, or inject phishing content that appears legitimate within the trusted Haraj platform. The persistent nature of stored XSS means that even after initial exploitation, the attack remains active and can continue to affect new users until the vulnerability is patched. This vulnerability also creates potential for credential theft, as attackers can capture user login information or manipulate the application's behavior to collect sensitive data. The platform's user base becomes vulnerable to social engineering attacks that appear to originate from legitimate sources within the application.
Security mitigations for CVE-2022-31301 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the Post Ads component. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user inputs before storage and properly escaping output when rendering user-generated content. Implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular security audits should validate that all input fields are properly protected. The application should employ proper encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding for user-supplied content and implement strict validation rules that reject potentially malicious input patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing Web Application Firewall rules to detect and block suspicious input patterns, and establish automated testing procedures that include XSS vulnerability scanning as part of their continuous integration processes. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input sanitization and output encoding as fundamental security practices, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for credential access through web application attacks and T1566.001 for social engineering via spearphishing attachments or links.