CVE-2023-49490 in XunRuiCMS
Summary
by MITRE • 12/11/2023
XunRuiCMS v4.5.5 was discovered to contain a reflective cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability via the component /admin.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-49490 affects XunRuiCMS version 4.5.5 and represents a critical reflective cross-site scripting flaw that resides within the administrative component of the content management system. This vulnerability manifests through the /admin.php endpoint, which serves as a primary interface for system administrators to manage the CMS functionality. The reflective nature of this XSS vulnerability means that malicious actors can inject malicious scripts into the application's response by manipulating parameters in the URL or form fields, causing the victim's browser to execute the injected code when processing the reflected payload.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the administrative interface. When user-supplied data is processed through the /admin.php component without proper sanitization, the application fails to escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This creates an environment where attackers can craft malicious URLs containing script tags or other XSS payloads that will be executed in the context of authenticated administrator sessions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it targets the administrative interface, which typically operates with elevated privileges and access to sensitive system functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to hijack administrator sessions, steal sensitive credentials, modify system configurations, or even escalate privileges within the CMS environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially gain full administrative control over the affected system, leading to complete compromise of the website or web application. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that attacks can be delivered through phishing emails, malicious links, or compromised websites that redirect users to the vulnerable endpoint with crafted payloads. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where administrators frequently click on links or visit external websites.
Security professionals should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, including input validation at the application level, proper output encoding of all user-supplied data, and the implementation of Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution. Organizations using XunRuiCMS version 4.5.5 should immediately apply the vendor-provided patch or upgrade to a secure version that addresses the XSS vulnerability in the /admin.php component. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and security awareness training should be provided to administrators to recognize potential phishing attempts that could leverage this vulnerability. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a significant risk under the ATT&CK framework's initial access and execution techniques, particularly targeting the privilege escalation and persistence phases through administrative interface compromise.