CVE-2022-32172 in Zinc
Summary
by MITRE • 10/06/2022
In Zinc, versions v0.1.9 through v0.3.1 are vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting when using the delete template functionality. When an authenticated user deletes a template with a XSS payload in the name field, the Javascript payload will be executed and allow an attacker to access the user’s credentials.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/06/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-32172 affects the Zinc application within versions v0.1.9 through v0.3.1, presenting a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw that undermines user session security. This vulnerability specifically manifests when utilizing the delete template functionality, creating a persistent threat vector that allows attackers to execute malicious javascript code within the context of authenticated user sessions. The flaw stems from inadequate input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly validate or escape user-supplied data before storing and rendering it within the application interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an authenticated attacker crafts a malicious payload containing javascript code within the template name field during deletion operations. When the system processes this request, the malicious payload gets stored in the database and subsequently executed whenever the template name is rendered or displayed to other users, including the victim whose session is being compromised. This stored payload execution model creates a persistent threat that can affect multiple users over time, as the malicious code executes within the legitimate user context, bypassing standard browser security mechanisms.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability represents a severe threat to user authentication security and data integrity. The ability for attackers to execute javascript code within authenticated sessions directly enables credential theft, session hijacking, and potential privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability can be leveraged to capture user cookies, redirect victims to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users, effectively undermining the application's security model. According to CWE classification, this corresponds to CWE-079: Cross-Site Scripting, specifically the stored variant where malicious input is permanently stored and later executed.
The attack surface is particularly concerning as it requires only a single authenticated user session to establish the malicious payload, making it an effective vector for lateral movement and privilege escalation within the application environment. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531: Account Access Removal and T1078: Valid Accounts, as attackers can leverage stolen session information to maintain persistent access. The impact extends beyond immediate credential theft to potentially enable broader system compromise through the execution of malicious scripts that can access additional application resources or data.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent malicious payloads from being stored or executed within the application. The recommended approach includes implementing strict sanitization of all user inputs, particularly those used in template names or other user-editable fields, combined with proper context-aware output encoding for all rendered content. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers, regular security scanning, and user input sanitization libraries can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation. The affected versions should be immediately patched or upgraded to versions that address this stored XSS vulnerability, as the persistence characteristic of stored XSS makes it particularly dangerous for long-term security exposure.