CVE-2023-33196 in Craft
Summary
by MITRE • 05/27/2023
Craft is a CMS for creating custom digital experiences. Cross site scripting (XSS) can be triggered by review volumes. This issue has been fixed in version 4.4.7.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-33196 affects Craft CMS, a content management system designed for creating custom digital experiences. This security flaw represents a cross site scripting vulnerability that can be exploited through review volumes, demonstrating how seemingly benign user-generated content can become a vector for malicious attacks. The issue specifically manifests when the system processes review data, suggesting that the input validation mechanisms for user comments or feedback submissions are insufficient to prevent the injection of malicious scripts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of review data within the Craft CMS framework. When users submit reviews containing malicious script code, the system fails to properly escape or filter the input before rendering it in the user interface. This allows attackers to inject javascript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross site scripting flaws in software applications and represents a classic input validation issue where user-supplied data is not adequately sanitized before being processed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption or user inconvenience. Attackers could leverage this flaw to escalate privileges, steal sensitive information from authenticated users, or manipulate content displayed to other users. In a CMS environment where administrators and content creators frequently interact with user-generated content, this vulnerability could provide attackers with persistent access to modify or delete critical content. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that reviews are often displayed prominently on websites, making the malicious scripts visible to numerous users and increasing the potential damage.
Organizations utilizing Craft CMS versions prior to 4.4.7 should prioritize immediate remediation to address this vulnerability. The fix implemented in version 4.4.7 includes enhanced input validation and output escaping mechanisms specifically designed to prevent script injection in review volumes. Security teams should conduct comprehensive testing to ensure that all review-related functionality properly handles user input and that existing review data does not contain malicious payloads. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and content security policies can provide additional defense in depth measures. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security updates and proper input validation practices as recommended by the ATT&CK framework's defense evasion techniques, which often involve exploiting similar input validation weaknesses in web applications.