CVE-2023-3753 in Mastery LMS
Summary
by MITRE • 07/19/2023
A vulnerability classified as problematic has been found in Creativeitem Mastery LMS 1.2. This affects an unknown part of the file /browse. The manipulation of the argument search/featured/recommended/skill leads to cross site scripting. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. The associated identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-234423. 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 • 08/09/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-3753 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within Creativeitem Mastery LMS version 1.2 that specifically impacts the /browse endpoint. This security weakness resides in the handling of search parameters including featured, recommended, and skill arguments, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary web scripts within the context of victim browsers. The vulnerability's classification as problematic indicates a significant security risk that could potentially compromise user sessions and data integrity. The affected application appears to improperly sanitize user input when processing these specific search parameters, allowing attackers to manipulate the application's behavior through crafted payloads. This particular flaw demonstrates a failure in input validation and output encoding practices that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through remote manipulation of the search/featured/recommended/skill parameters within the /browse endpoint. When users navigate to the browse page with maliciously crafted parameters, the application fails to properly escape or filter the input before rendering it in the web page context. This allows attackers to inject JavaScript code that executes in the browser of unsuspecting users who visit the affected page. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or local network privileges to carry out the attack. The lack of vendor response to early disclosure attempts suggests potential security mismanagement or delayed patch development, leaving users exposed to ongoing threats. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning given that it affects core browsing functionality that likely serves as a primary user interface for accessing course content and learning materials.
The operational impact of this XSS vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution to potentially enable session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration from authenticated users. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject malicious content that appears legitimate to users. The attack surface is broad since the vulnerability affects multiple search parameters within the browse functionality, potentially compromising various user interactions and course discovery features. Organizations using this learning management system face risks to user privacy, data integrity, and overall system security. The vulnerability could be exploited to manipulate course listings, inject malicious advertisements, or create persistent backdoors within the application. The absence of vendor response compounds the risk as users have no assurance of timely patch availability, leaving systems vulnerable to active exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate input validation and output encoding improvements. Organizations should implement proper sanitization of all user-supplied input parameters before processing or rendering them in web pages. The application should employ Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. Regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses throughout the application. The lack of vendor response emphasizes the importance of proactive security measures including maintaining updated security patches, implementing web application firewalls, and monitoring for exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing automated scanning tools to detect similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application or related systems. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and could potentially map to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content. Organizations should also consider implementing user education programs to recognize potential malicious content and establish incident response procedures for XSS-related security events.