CVE-2023-3558 in Event Booking Calendar
Summary
by MITRE • 07/10/2023
A vulnerability classified as problematic has been found in GZ Scripts Event Booking Calendar 1.8. Affected is an unknown function of the file /load.php. The manipulation of the argument first_name/second_name/phone/address_1/country leads to cross site scripting. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. The identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-233352. NOTE: The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2023
This cross site scripting vulnerability exists in the GZ Scripts Event Booking Calendar version 1.8 where an attacker can inject malicious scripts through the load.php file. The vulnerability specifically affects parameters including first_name, second_name, phone, address_1, and country fields, making it a classic example of reflected cross site scripting as described in CWE-79. The attack vector is remote, meaning an attacker can exploit this weakness without requiring physical access to the target system, which significantly increases the potential impact and attack surface.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the application's handling of user-supplied data. When the application processes these parameters through the load.php endpoint, it fails to properly escape or encode the data before rendering it in the web page context. This allows an attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code that executes in the victim's browser when the page is loaded. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects multiple data fields, providing attackers with several potential entry points for exploitation. According to ATT&CK framework, this represents a T1059.007 technique involving script injection in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, and potentially full system compromise if attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent access. An attacker could craft malicious URLs containing XSS payloads that, when clicked by unsuspecting users, would execute malicious code in their browsers. The lack of vendor response to early disclosure attempts is particularly troubling as it suggests the vulnerability may remain unpatched for an extended period, leaving users exposed to potential exploitation. This delay in remediation aligns with ATT&CK's T1588.002 technique involving the use of unpatched vulnerabilities for prolonged access.
The recommended mitigations include implementing proper input validation and output encoding techniques to prevent malicious code execution. Organizations should ensure all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being processed or displayed. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against XSS attacks by restricting script execution. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in web applications. Additionally, the application should be updated to the latest version where this vulnerability has been addressed, and developers should follow secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP's top ten security risks and the CWE guidelines for preventing cross site scripting vulnerabilities.