CVE-2023-5985 in ION8650
Summary
by MITRE • 11/15/2023
A CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation vulnerability exists that could cause compromise of a user’s browser when an attacker with admin privileges has modified system values.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/15/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical web application security flaw categorized under CWE-79, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation. The weakness occurs when user-controllable data is directly incorporated into web page content without adequate sanitization or encoding mechanisms. In the context of CVE-2023-5985, an attacker with administrative privileges can manipulate system values to inject malicious code that will be executed within user browsers when they access affected web pages. This type of vulnerability falls squarely within the domain of cross-site scripting attacks where the malicious input is not properly escaped or filtered before being rendered in the browser context.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess administrative access to the system, which significantly reduces the attack surface but increases the potential impact. Once administrative privileges are compromised, the attacker can modify system values such as database entries, configuration parameters, or application variables that are subsequently displayed in web interfaces. The injected malicious code can take various forms including javascript payloads, html tags, or other scripting constructs that are designed to execute within the victim's browser environment. This creates a persistent threat vector where legitimate users who access the compromised application will unknowingly execute malicious code in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data exfiltration, or further system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session manipulation. When an attacker can modify system values and inject malicious content, they gain the ability to perform sophisticated attacks such as credential theft, browser fingerprinting, or even drive-by download attacks. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of privilege escalation and client-side exploitation, where the administrative access provides the means to plant malicious payloads that then execute in the context of regular users. This creates a particularly dangerous scenario where the attacker's influence extends from server-side system compromise to client-side browser compromise, effectively bridging the gap between backend and frontend security controls.
Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies that address both the immediate vulnerability and underlying architectural weaknesses. Input validation and output encoding mechanisms must be strengthened to prevent any user-controllable data from being directly rendered in web pages without proper sanitization. The principle of least privilege should be enforced rigorously, ensuring that administrative access is tightly controlled and monitored. Additionally, regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify potential injection points and validate the effectiveness of existing defenses. This vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for credential access and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, making it a significant concern for organizations implementing comprehensive threat hunting and incident response capabilities. The remediation process should include thorough code reviews, implementation of web application firewalls, and establishment of robust monitoring systems to detect anomalous administrative activities that could indicate potential exploitation attempts.