CVE-2022-37247 in Craft
Summary
by MITRE • 09/17/2022
Craft CMS 4.2.0.1 is vulnerable to stored a cross-site scripting (XSS) via /admin/settings/fields page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/20/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-37247 affects Craft CMS version 4.2.0.1 and represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw that can be exploited through the administrative settings fields page. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically manifesting as a stored XSS attack that allows malicious actors to inject persistent malicious scripts into the application's database. The attack vector specifically targets the /admin/settings/fields page, which serves as a critical administrative interface for managing content management system fields and their configurations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when administrators or users with appropriate privileges interact with the field management functionality within the Craft CMS administrative panel. When malicious input is submitted through field configuration parameters, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape the user-supplied data before storing it in the database. This stored data is subsequently retrieved and rendered on the page without adequate output encoding, creating a persistent XSS condition that affects all users who view the compromised field settings. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in input validation and output encoding practices that violates fundamental web security principles.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for organizations utilizing Craft CMS 4.2.0.1. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of any user's browser who views the affected field settings page. This capability enables attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized administrative actions, redirect users to malicious websites, or extract sensitive information from the CMS environment. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payload remains persistent even after the initial injection, allowing attackers to maintain access and continue exploiting the vulnerability across multiple user sessions. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1566 for credential access and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, as it enables both session hijacking and arbitrary code execution.
Organizations should immediately implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The primary and most critical mitigation involves upgrading to a patched version of Craft CMS that resolves the XSS vulnerability in the field management interface. Administrators should also implement strict input validation and output encoding policies throughout the application, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before storage and adequately encoded before rendering. Additionally, implementing content security policies can provide an additional defensive layer against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Regular security audits of administrative interfaces and input validation mechanisms should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing robust security controls around administrative interfaces, as these areas represent high-value targets for attackers seeking to compromise entire web applications.