CVE-2024-38680 in Appmaker Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/20/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation (XSS or 'Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Appmaker Appmaker – Convert WooCommerce to Android & iOS Native Mobile Apps allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects Appmaker – Convert WooCommerce to Android & iOS Native Mobile Apps: from n/a through 1.36.12.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/17/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in the Appmaker application that enables attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by users. The flaw manifests as improper input neutralization during web page generation processes, specifically affecting the mobile app conversion tool that transforms WooCommerce stores into native mobile applications. The reflected XSS vulnerability occurs when user-supplied input is directly incorporated into web page responses without adequate sanitization or encoding mechanisms, allowing malicious payloads to execute in the context of the victim's browser session.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation and sanitization of user input parameters within the application's web interface. When users interact with the Appmaker tool, particularly during configuration or data input phases, malicious scripts can be injected through parameters that are then reflected back to users without proper HTML escaping or context-appropriate encoding. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications. The affected version range indicates that all versions from the initial release through 1.36.12 contain this susceptibility, suggesting a persistent flaw in the input handling mechanisms that has not been adequately addressed in the development lifecycle.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with potential access to user sessions, data theft capabilities, and opportunities for further exploitation within the application's attack surface. An attacker could craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that, when clicked by authenticated users, would execute in their browser context and potentially steal cookies, session tokens, or perform unauthorized actions within the Appmaker application. This type of vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which focuses on spearphishing attacks through malicious links, and T1584.002 which involves the use of malicious content in web applications.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate input validation and output encoding implementations across all user-facing interfaces within the Appmaker application. The solution requires comprehensive sanitization of all user-supplied data before inclusion in web page responses, implementing proper HTML escaping for dynamic content, and employing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution. Additionally, the development team should implement input length restrictions, character set validation, and regular security code reviews to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future releases. Organizations using this application should consider temporary network-level protections such as web application firewalls and monitor for suspicious user activities that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices and input validation in web applications, particularly those handling user-generated content or configuration data that may be reflected back to users.