CVE-2022-45008 in Online Leave Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 12/07/2022
Online Leave Management System v1.0 was discovered to contain a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the component /leave_system/admin/?page=maintenance/department. This vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML via crafted payload injected into the Name field under the Create New module.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/23/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-45008 resides within the Online Leave Management System version 1.0, specifically targeting the administrative interface component located at /leave_system/admin/?page=maintenance/department. This represents a critical security flaw that exposes the system to persistent cross-site scripting attacks through improper input validation mechanisms. The vulnerability manifests when attackers inject malicious payloads into the Name field during the creation of new department entries, allowing them to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers.
This stored XSS vulnerability operates through the failure of the application to properly sanitize and validate user input before storing and subsequently rendering it within the web interface. When administrators or other users view the department listings, the malicious code embedded in the Name field executes automatically, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no user interaction beyond viewing the affected page, making it a persistent threat that can compromise multiple users over time. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding, specifically targeting the failure to properly escape special characters in user-controllable data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent access to the administrative interface and potentially escalate privileges within the system. An attacker could inject malicious scripts that steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or even modify department data to disrupt business operations. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload remains active even after the initial injection, continuously affecting any user who accesses the affected department listings. This persistent threat can be exploited to maintain long-term access to the system and gather sensitive information about the organization's leave management processes and employee data.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The system must sanitize all user inputs, particularly those stored in database fields, by employing proper HTML escaping techniques before rendering content. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be executed. The application should also enforce strict input length limits and character validation for the Name field, rejecting any input containing potentially dangerous characters or script tags. Regular security testing including automated vulnerability scanning and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar flaws in other application components. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns that could indicate XSS attack attempts, while ensuring proper access controls and audit logging to monitor for unauthorized modifications to department records. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices and input validation in preventing persistent security threats that can compromise entire web applications.