CVE-2023-48748 in Salient Core Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/30/2023
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Theme nectar Salient Core allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects Salient Core: from n/a through 2.0.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/17/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-48748 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness within the Theme nectar Salient Core web application framework. This reflected XSS vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization during web page generation processes, creating an exploitable condition where malicious scripts can be injected into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions of the Salient Core framework ranging from the initial release through version 2.0.2, indicating a prolonged timeframe during which this security flaw remained unaddressed. The issue manifests when user-supplied input is not properly neutralized before being rendered in web page content, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical flaw resides in the web application's failure to implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms during the page generation lifecycle. When the application processes user input through GET parameters or other request methods, it directly incorporates this data into HTML output without adequate sanitization measures. This improper neutralization creates a pathway for attackers to craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that, when executed by victim browsers, can perform unauthorized actions such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or executing arbitrary code within the victim's browser context. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious script is reflected off the web server rather than being stored, making it particularly dangerous for targeted attacks through phishing emails or compromised links.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable attackers to compromise user sessions, manipulate web application behavior, and potentially escalate privileges within the affected system. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform session hijacking attacks, where they steal authentication tokens and impersonate legitimate users to access restricted areas of the web application. The vulnerability also poses significant risks to business continuity and user trust, as successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized data access, modification of web content, and potential credential theft. Organizations using affected versions of the Salient Core framework face increased risk of data breaches and compliance violations, particularly in environments where sensitive user information is processed or stored.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-48748 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to version 2.0.3 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes for this reflected XSS vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation measures at all entry points where user data is processed, ensuring that all input undergoes proper sanitization before being incorporated into web page content. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers and proper output encoding techniques can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against similar vulnerabilities. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected framework across their infrastructure and establish monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1531 which covers credential access through web application vulnerabilities, emphasizing the critical nature of addressing this issue through both immediate remediation and ongoing security monitoring processes.