CVE-2024-38673 in Multisite Content Copier Updater Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/20/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation (XSS or 'Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Obtain Infotech Multisite Content Copier/Updater allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects Multisite Content Copier/Updater: from n/a through 1.5.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/17/2025
This vulnerability represents a classic reflected cross-site scripting flaw that exploits improper input validation during web page generation within the Obtain Infotech Multisite Content Copier/Updater application. The weakness occurs when user-supplied input is directly incorporated into web responses without adequate sanitization or encoding, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject client-side scripts. The vulnerability specifically manifests in the application's handling of reflected data, where attacker-controlled parameters are echoed back to users without proper neutralization measures. This issue affects all versions of the software up to and including version 1.5.0, indicating a persistent flaw that has not been addressed in the release cycle.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly escape or encode user input before rendering it in HTML contexts. When a malicious user submits crafted input through parameters or query strings, the application processes this data and reflects it back in subsequent web responses without appropriate sanitization. This creates a condition where any script code submitted by an attacker can be executed within the victim's browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in input handling and output encoding.
The operational impact of this reflected XSS vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that leverage the victim's authenticated session. An attacker could craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that, when clicked by an authenticated user, would execute commands on behalf of that user. This could lead to unauthorized content modification, privilege escalation, or complete account compromise depending on the user's permissions within the application. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the attack vector is typically delivered through phishing emails or social engineering campaigns where users are tricked into clicking malicious links.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's data flow. The most effective approach involves applying proper HTML escaping to all user-supplied data before rendering in web contexts, implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, and employing input sanitization techniques that remove or encode potentially dangerous characters. Additionally, the application should implement proper parameter validation and avoid directly echoing user input in HTML responses. Organizations should also consider implementing Web Application Firewall rules to detect and block known malicious patterns, while ensuring that all future updates and patches address this vulnerability through proper code review processes that align with OWASP Top Ten security guidelines. The remediation process should include thorough testing of all input handling mechanisms to verify that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other parts of the application.