CVE-2024-22158 in Community Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/31/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in PeepSo Community by PeepSo – Social Network, Membership, Registration, User Profiles allows Stored XSS.This issue affects Community by PeepSo – Social Network, Membership, Registration, User Profiles: from n/a before 6.3.1.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2024
This cross-site scripting vulnerability resides within the PeepSo Community social networking platform, specifically in the web page generation functionality where user input fails to be properly sanitized. The flaw represents a classic stored XSS vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into the application's content, which then executes in the context of other users' browsers when they view the affected pages. The vulnerability affects versions prior to 6.3.1.0 of the Community plugin, indicating it has been present in the software for an extended period without proper input validation mechanisms. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which defines improper neutralization of input during web page generation as a fundamental weakness in web application security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the platform's user profile and membership registration components. When users submit content through forms or profile fields, the application does not adequately sanitize the input before storing it in the database or rendering it on web pages. This allows malicious actors to embed script tags or other malicious code within user-generated content such as bios, comments, or profile information. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that once the malicious payload is injected and saved, it persists in the system and automatically executes whenever other users view the affected content, making it particularly dangerous for social networking platforms where user-generated content is abundant.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the context of the compromised user sessions. Attackers could potentially steal user credentials, modify profile information, execute unauthorized transactions, or even escalate their privileges within the platform if the application lacks proper access controls. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that the attack vector can be maintained indefinitely until the patch is applied, allowing for prolonged unauthorized access to user accounts and platform resources. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which involves establishing persistence through malicious content injection, and T1566 which covers credential access through social engineering via compromised user accounts.
Organizations using PeepSo Community platforms should prioritize immediate patching to version 6.3.1.0 or later to remediate this vulnerability. The mitigation strategy should include implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application, particularly in user profile fields and content submission areas. Security measures should enforce strict sanitization of all user-provided data before storage and rendering, utilizing established libraries and frameworks designed to prevent XSS attacks. Additionally, implementing content security policies and regular security audits of user-generated content can provide defense-in-depth measures. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in web applications and highlights how seemingly minor oversights in data handling can lead to significant security breaches in social networking environments where user content is central to platform functionality.