CVE-2023-3785 in PaulPrinting
Summary
by MITRE • 07/20/2023
A vulnerability was found in PaulPrinting CMS 2018. It has been rated as problematic. Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality. The manipulation of the argument firstname/lastname/address/city/state leads to cross site scripting. The attack may be launched remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-235052.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/15/2023
This vulnerability exists within PaulPrinting CMS 2018, a content management system that has been identified with a cross site scripting flaw categorized as problematic by security researchers. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the CMS's handling of user-provided data, specifically affecting parameters related to personal information including firstname, lastname, address, city, and state fields. The flaw represents a classic xss vulnerability where malicious input can be injected into these fields and subsequently executed when other users view the affected content, creating a persistent threat vector.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through improper sanitization of user inputs before they are rendered in web pages. When users submit data containing malicious script code within the specified parameters, the CMS fails to adequately filter or encode the input, allowing the malicious payload to be stored and executed in the context of other users' browsers. This creates a dangerous environment where attackers can hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, or perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers can leverage this flaw without requiring physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in web-based environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption or display issues. It creates a persistent threat that can compromise user sessions, enable credential theft, and potentially allow attackers to escalate privileges within the CMS. The disclosure of this exploit to the public community means that malicious actors have direct access to the attack methodology, increasing the likelihood of successful exploitation. Organizations using PaulPrinting CMS 2018 face significant risk of unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential system compromise. The vulnerability's classification as a persistent threat means that once exploited, the malicious code can continue to affect users until the underlying issue is properly addressed through patching or input validation improvements.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent malicious script execution. Organizations should implement proper content security policies, sanitize all user inputs, and ensure that the CMS is updated to the latest version where this vulnerability has been addressed. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross site scripting flaws, and follows attack patterns consistent with ATT&CK technique T1566 which involves social engineering through malicious web content. Regular security assessments and input validation reviews should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the system. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious input patterns can provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts.