CVE-2023-2361 in pimcore
Summary
by MITRE • 04/28/2023
Cross-site Scripting (XSS) - Stored in GitHub repository pimcore/pimcore prior to 10.5.21.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/21/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-2361 represents a stored cross-site scripting flaw within the pimcore content management platform, specifically affecting versions prior to 10.5.21. This issue resides in the GitHub repository pimcore/pimcore and constitutes a significant security risk due to its stored nature, meaning malicious scripts persist in the application's database and execute whenever affected pages are accessed by unsuspecting users. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a critical weakness in web applications that allows attackers to inject malicious client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. Stored XSS vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they can remain dormant in the system for extended periods, making them difficult to detect and remediate.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the pimcore platform fails to properly sanitize user input before storing it in the database and subsequently rendering it in web responses without adequate output encoding. Attackers can exploit this weakness by submitting malicious script payloads through various input fields within the platform's administrative interfaces or content management features. When authenticated users subsequently view pages containing this stored malicious content, the injected scripts execute in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in input validation and output encoding mechanisms that should be implemented at multiple layers according to the principle of defense in depth as recommended by the OWASP Top Ten security framework.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-2361 extends beyond simple data corruption or unauthorized access, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent footholds within the pimcore environment. Once exploited, the stored XSS attack vector can be leveraged to compromise user sessions through cookie theft, particularly if the application does not implement proper HttpOnly flags on session cookies. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to perform actions on behalf of authenticated users, potentially leading to complete system compromise if the affected users possess administrative privileges. According to ATT&CK framework methodology, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 (Phishing via Service) and T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) as attackers can use the stored script to execute malicious commands or redirect users to phishing pages. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that pimcore is a widely used enterprise content management system that often handles sensitive business data and user information.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-2361 require immediate remediation through updating to pimcore version 10.5.21 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and output encoding fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation that filters or escapes special characters in all user-supplied data before storage, while also ensuring that output encoding is applied consistently when rendering content to prevent script execution. Security teams should deploy web application firewalls with XSS detection capabilities and implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution contexts. Additionally, regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications within the organization's attack surface, as this type of flaw often indicates broader input sanitization deficiencies. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing proper security controls throughout the application development lifecycle, aligning with NIST cybersecurity framework recommendations for vulnerability management and continuous monitoring practices.