CVE-2023-1500 in Simple Art Gallery
Summary
by MITRE • 03/19/2023
A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, has been found in code-projects Simple Art Gallery 1.0. Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality of the file adminHome.php. The manipulation of the argument about_info leads to cross site scripting. The attack may be launched remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-223400.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2023
This vulnerability resides within the code-projects Simple Art Gallery 1.0 web application, specifically targeting the adminHome.php file through improper input validation mechanisms. The flaw manifests when the about_info parameter is manipulated, creating a cross-site scripting condition that allows malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary script code within the context of other users' browsers. This represents a critical security weakness that undermines the application's integrity and user data protection capabilities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows the classic cross-site scripting pattern where user-supplied input flows directly into the application's output without proper sanitization or encoding. The about_info parameter serves as the attack vector, enabling remote exploitation through web requests that contain malicious script payloads. This vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, making it a well-documented and dangerous class of vulnerability that has been extensively studied and catalogued by security researchers. The remote exploitability aspect means attackers can leverage this weakness from external networks without requiring physical access to the target system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims, and potentially establish persistent access to the administrative interface. The disclosure of the exploit to the public community significantly increases the risk level, as it removes the element of exploit scarcity that typically protects applications from immediate attack. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for social engineering and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage, making it a multi-faceted threat that can be leveraged for various malicious purposes within the broader attack lifecycle.
Organizations utilizing this vulnerable software should immediately implement mitigations including input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in administrative interfaces. The recommended approach involves implementing strict whitelisting of acceptable input values and proper HTML encoding of dynamic content before rendering. Additionally, deploying web application firewalls and implementing content security policies can provide additional layers of protection against such attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in administrative web interfaces where privileged access can be gained through exploitation of such flaws. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar patterns that may exist in other application components, as this vulnerability represents a common weakness in web application development practices that affects numerous systems across different platforms and technologies.