CVE-2022-4252 in Canteen Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 12/01/2022
A vulnerability was found in SourceCodester Canteen Management System. It has been classified as problematic. This affects the function builtin_echo of the file categories.php. The manipulation leads to cross site scripting. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The identifier VDB-214629 was assigned to this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-4252 represents a critical cross site scripting flaw within the SourceCodester Canteen Management System, a web application designed for food service operations. This vulnerability resides in the builtin_echo function of the categories.php file, which serves as a core component for managing menu categories and related information within the system. The flaw manifests when user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to the browser, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary script code. The vulnerability has been classified as problematic due to its potential for significant impact on system security and user data integrity. Security researchers have assigned the identifier VDB-214629 to track this specific weakness, highlighting its recognition within the cybersecurity community.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of input parameters that are processed by the builtin_echo function in categories.php. When an attacker crafts malicious input and submits it to the application, the poorly sanitized data flows through the echo statement without proper HTML entity encoding or script validation. This allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected content. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable, meaning that attackers do not require physical access to the system or direct network access to the server itself. The attack vector typically involves sending specially crafted requests to the categories.php endpoint, which then processes the malicious input and reflects it back to the user's browser. This reflective XSS behavior enables attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-4252 extends beyond simple data theft, as it can compromise the entire user session and potentially provide attackers with persistent access to the canteen management system. Once an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can execute malicious scripts in the browser context of authenticated users, potentially gaining access to sensitive menu data, user accounts, or even administrative functions. The consequences include unauthorized modification of menu categories, disruption of service availability, and potential data exfiltration. Organizations using this system face increased risk of credential theft, session hijacking, and other malicious activities that can severely impact their operational integrity and user trust. The public disclosure of the exploit means that threat actors can readily implement this attack without requiring advanced technical skills, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-4252 should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input before processing it through the echo function, utilizing HTML entity encoding to prevent script execution in the browser context. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. The system should also employ proper input validation techniques including whitelisting of acceptable characters and lengths, as well as implementing proper session management and authentication controls. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application, particularly in functions that handle user input. Additionally, applying the vendor-provided security patches or upgrading to a newer version of the SourceCodester Canteen Management System would address this vulnerability at its source, as this flaw aligns with CWE-79 - Cross-site Scripting and follows patterns commonly associated with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 - Phishing for Information through malicious web content delivery.