CVE-2023-36375 in Hostel Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 07/10/2023
Cross Site Scripting vulnerability in Hostel Management System v2.1 allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code via a crafted payload to the Guardian name, Guardian relation, complimentary address, city, permanent address, and city parameters in the Book Hostel & Room Details page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/27/2023
This cross site scripting vulnerability exists within the Hostel Management System version 2.1, representing a critical security flaw that allows remote attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability specifically affects the Book Hostel & Room Details page where multiple input fields become attack vectors for XSS exploitation. The affected parameters include guardian name, guardian relation, complimentary address, city, permanent address, and city fields, all of which lack proper input validation and output sanitization mechanisms. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security where user-controllable data is directly incorporated into web pages without adequate sanitization or encoding. The attack vector enables an attacker to execute arbitrary code in the victim's browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. According to the ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 - Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, as attackers can craft malicious payloads that exploit this XSS flaw to deliver malicious content to unsuspecting users. The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can be leveraged to establish persistent access to the application through session manipulation and user impersonation attacks. Attackers can exploit this flaw to steal sensitive information from authenticated users, manipulate the application's functionality, or create backdoor access points within the hostel management system. The vulnerability's presence in multiple address-related fields indicates a systemic lack of proper input sanitization across the application's data handling mechanisms. The exploitation of this XSS vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, where malicious code execution occurs through web application vulnerabilities. The affected parameters represent common user input fields that are typically trusted by applications, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through normal user interaction with the booking process. Organizations using this system face significant risk of data breaches, as the vulnerability can be exploited to access sensitive student and guardian information stored within the hostel management system. The remediation approach should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation, output encoding, and the use of security headers such as Content Security Policy to prevent script execution in user-controllable contexts. The vulnerability demonstrates a clear failure in the application's security architecture and highlights the importance of proper web application security controls including proper sanitization of all user inputs and robust output encoding mechanisms.