CVE-2024-32544 in Netgsm Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/17/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Netgsm allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects Netgsm: from n/a through 2.8.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-32544 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Netgsm web application platform. This weakness falls under the category of improper input neutralization during web page generation, creating a pathway for malicious actors to inject arbitrary scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability specifically manifests as a reflected cross-site scripting issue, meaning that the malicious script is reflected off the web server and executed in the victim's browser when they click on a malicious link or visit a compromised page. The affected version range spans from an unknown starting point through version 2.8, indicating that multiple iterations of the software are susceptible to this particular attack vector. This vulnerability type is categorized under CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications where input data is not properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload that gets reflected back to the victim's browser through the Netgsm application's web interface. When users navigate to a specially crafted URL containing the malicious script, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape the input parameters before incorporating them into dynamically generated web content. This allows the attacker to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of the victim's session, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the user. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious script is not stored on the server but rather injected into the application's response dynamically, making it particularly challenging to detect through traditional security scanning methods.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that compromise the overall security posture of systems utilizing Netgsm. An attacker could potentially leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, modify page content, or perform actions that the authenticated user is authorized to execute. This could result in unauthorized data access, modification of critical system parameters, or complete account takeover scenarios. The vulnerability affects the web application's integrity and user trust, as legitimate users may unknowingly execute malicious code when interacting with compromised application functionality. Given that this affects a web-based platform, the attack surface is broad and accessible through standard web browsing mechanisms, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users may encounter malicious links through phishing campaigns or compromised web content.
Security mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The primary defense involves ensuring that all user-supplied input is properly sanitized and escaped before being incorporated into web page content, which aligns with the principles outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security framework. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, utilize proper input validation libraries, and ensure that all dynamic content generation includes appropriate HTML escaping mechanisms. Additionally, regular security code reviews should be conducted to identify potential injection points, and the application should be updated to the latest patched versions as soon as available. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and adheres to ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers phishing and social engineering attacks that often exploit such web application vulnerabilities to establish initial access or escalate privileges within compromised systems.