CVE-2024-22161 in HD Quiz Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/31/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Harmonic Design HD Quiz allows Stored XSS.This issue affects HD Quiz: from n/a through 1.8.11.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-22161 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in the Harmonic Design HD Quiz application that enables stored XSS attacks. This flaw occurs during the web page generation process when user input is inadequately sanitized or escaped before being rendered in web interfaces. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions of HD Quiz ranging from the initial release through version 1.8.11, indicating a prolonged period during which the application remained susceptible to this type of attack vector.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's web rendering pipeline. When users submit data through various interactive elements or form fields within the quiz application, the system fails to properly neutralize potentially malicious script content. This occurs because the application does not adequately escape special characters or validate the nature of submitted input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that malicious scripts are persistently saved within the application's database or storage mechanisms, making them executable whenever the affected web pages are accessed by other users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited by attackers to compromise user sessions and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers, potentially allowing for cookie theft, session manipulation, or redirection to malicious sites. The stored nature of the XSS attack means that the malicious payload remains active even after the initial injection, creating a continuous threat that persists until the vulnerability is patched or the malicious content is manually removed from the application's database.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter - JavaScript. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that quiz applications often collect sensitive user information including personal responses, test results, and potentially confidential data. Security professionals should consider implementing comprehensive input sanitization, output encoding, and Content Security Policy (CSP) headers as immediate mitigations. Additionally, regular security audits and code reviews should focus on input validation mechanisms, and the application should be updated to version 1.8.12 or later where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper input neutralization and output escaping techniques that prevent malicious script execution in user contexts.