CVE-2022-38080 in Exment
Summary
by MITRE • 08/24/2022
Reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability in Exment ((PHP8) exceedone/exment v5.0.2 and earlier and exceedone/laravel-admin v3.0.0 and earlier, (PHP7) exceedone/exment v4.4.2 and earlier and exceedone/laravel-admin v2.2.2 and earlier) allows a remote authenticated attacker to inject an arbitrary script.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/25/2022
This reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability exists within the Exment application framework, specifically affecting versions up to and including v5.0.2 for PHP8 environments and v4.4.2 for PHP7 environments, alongside their respective laravel-admin components. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's request handling process, allowing malicious scripts to be injected and subsequently executed in the context of authenticated user sessions. The vulnerability operates through the reflection of user-supplied input data back to the browser without proper sanitization, creating an attack vector where an authenticated user can be tricked into executing malicious code through crafted requests.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows CWE-79 patterns, specifically categorized under reflected cross-site scripting where attacker-controlled data flows from HTTP request parameters directly into HTTP response content without adequate sanitization. The attack requires an authenticated user to be tricked into clicking a malicious link containing the XSS payload, typically through social engineering or phishing techniques. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages the trust relationship between the user and the application, allowing the attacker to execute code in the user's browser context with the privileges of that user. This could enable session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites.
Operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can lead to complete compromise of user sessions and potential lateral movement within the application environment. Attackers can exploit this flaw to steal session cookies, modify user permissions, or access sensitive data that the authenticated user has access to. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that each attack instance must be individually crafted and delivered to specific targets, making it less automated than stored XSS but still highly effective in targeted campaigns. The vulnerability affects both the core Exment application and its underlying laravel-admin framework, indicating a fundamental issue in the input processing pipeline that could impact multiple application components.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's data flow. The most effective immediate solution involves implementing proper HTML escaping and context-appropriate encoding for all user-supplied input before rendering it in web responses. Organizations should also implement content security policies to limit script execution capabilities and enforce strict input validation at multiple layers of the application stack. Regular security updates and patch management processes should be implemented to ensure timely deployment of security fixes. Additionally, the application should be configured to use secure session management practices including proper session cookie attributes and secure transmission mechanisms. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top 10 and NIST guidelines for preventing cross-site scripting attacks, emphasizing the need for consistent security controls across all application components rather than relying on single points of defense.