CVE-2023-6428 in Online Invoicing System
Summary
by MITRE • 11/30/2023
A vulnerability has been discovered in BigProf Online Invoicing System 2.6, which does not sufficiently encode user-controlled input, resulting in persistent XSS through /invoicing/app/items_view.php, in the FirstRecord parameter. Exploitation of this vulnerability could allow an attacking user to store dangerous JavaScript payloads on the system that will be triggered when the page loads.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/21/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-6428 represents a critical persistent cross-site scripting flaw within the BigProf Online Invoicing System version 2.6. This security weakness resides in the /invoicing/app/items_view.php script where the FirstRecord parameter fails to properly sanitize or encode user-supplied input. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting as the failure to properly encode output data, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts into web applications viewed by other users. The flaw specifically manifests in the application's inability to validate or escape input parameters that are subsequently rendered in the web interface without proper sanitization mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the FirstRecord parameter within the items_view.php endpoint. When an attacker crafts a malicious payload and submits it through this parameter, the system stores the JavaScript code without adequate encoding or validation. This stored payload then executes whenever the affected page loads and displays the malicious content to unsuspecting users. The persistence aspect of this vulnerability means that the malicious script remains active on the server until manually removed, allowing for prolonged exploitation windows and increased attack surface. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers credential access through the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with the capability to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, data theft, and redirection to malicious sites. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal user credentials, access sensitive financial data, or manipulate the invoicing system to create fraudulent invoices. The persistent nature of the XSS allows for long-term monitoring of user activities and potential escalation to more severe attacks. Organizations using this invoicing system face significant risk of unauthorized access to financial records, customer data breaches, and potential regulatory compliance violations. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the application's data handling processes, potentially compromising the entire invoicing workflow and associated business operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-6428 should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. Developers must ensure that all user-supplied parameters are sanitized before being processed or stored within the system. The recommended approach includes implementing strict input validation that rejects or encodes potentially dangerous characters and implementing proper output encoding when rendering user data in web pages. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. The fix should address the root cause by ensuring that the FirstRecord parameter is properly validated and encoded before being used in the application's output generation process, preventing any possibility of script injection attacks.