CVE-2023-48313 in Umbraco
Summary
by MITRE • 12/12/2023
Umbraco is an ASP.NET content management system (CMS). Starting in 10.0.0 and prior to versions 10.8.1 and 12.3.4, Umbraco contains a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability enabling attackers to bring malicious content into a website or application. Versions 10.8.1 and 12.3.4 contain a patch for this issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-48313 affects Umbraco content management systems across specific version ranges, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that undermines web application security. This vulnerability exists within the ASP.NET framework implementation of Umbraco, a widely used open-source CMS platform that powers numerous websites and web applications. The issue manifests in versions starting from 10.0.0 through 10.8.0 and 12.3.3, creating a window of exposure where malicious actors can exploit the system's input validation mechanisms to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by unsuspecting users.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input within Umbraco's content management interfaces. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by crafting malicious payloads that bypass the application's security controls, allowing them to inject JavaScript code or other malicious content into the CMS's administrative interfaces or public-facing pages. The vulnerability operates by failing to properly escape or filter special characters in user-provided data, enabling attackers to inject script tags or other malicious content that executes in the context of other users' browsers. This weakness specifically impacts how the CMS handles user input within its content management and editing functionalities, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate the application's behavior and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive data or functionality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform a range of malicious activities including session hijacking, data theft, and unauthorized modifications to website content. Users with administrative privileges become particularly vulnerable, as attackers can exploit the XSS flaw to escalate their privileges or gain persistent access to the CMS administration panel. The vulnerability's presence in widely deployed versions of Umbraco means that numerous organizations operating web applications could be at risk, potentially leading to data breaches, defacement of websites, or the establishment of backdoors within affected systems. The impact is amplified by the fact that Umbraco is used across various industries including healthcare, finance, and government sectors, where the compromise of web applications can have severe consequences.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including updating to patched versions 10.8.1 and 12.3.4 as recommended by the vendor. The fix addresses the core input validation issues by implementing proper output encoding and sanitization mechanisms that prevent malicious content from being executed within the browser context. Security teams should also consider implementing additional protective measures such as content security policies, web application firewalls, and regular security scanning of affected systems. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a technique commonly categorized under the ATT&CK framework as T1059.007 for scripting and T1566 for phishing, highlighting the multi-faceted nature of the threat. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and implement monitoring solutions to detect suspicious activities in their Umbraco installations.