CVE-2024-41357 in phpipam
Summary
by MITRE • 07/26/2024
phpipam 1.6 is vulnerable to Cross Site Scripting (XSS) via /app/admin/powerDNS/record-edit.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-41357 affects phpipam version 1.6 and represents a cross site scripting flaw located in the powerDNS record-edit.php file within the application's administrative interface. This particular vulnerability exists within the application's handling of user-supplied input during DNS record modification operations, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into the application's response. The vulnerability specifically impacts the administrative powerDNS functionality where users can edit DNS records through a web interface, making it a critical concern for network administrators who rely on this feature for managing DNS infrastructure. The flaw allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of a victim's browser session when they view affected pages, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the compromised system.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the record-edit.php script. When administrators or authorized users navigate to this specific endpoint to modify DNS records, the application fails to properly sanitize or encode user-provided data before rendering it back to the browser. This weakness enables attackers to inject malicious payloads through fields that accept DNS record data such as hostnames, IP addresses, or record values. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including direct injection into form fields, URL parameters, or even through manipulated HTTP headers that are processed by the application. The lack of proper sanitization means that any JavaScript code embedded in the input fields gets executed in the context of the authenticated user's browser, bypassing standard security mechanisms that protect against such attacks. This particular implementation aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross site scripting vulnerabilities in web applications where input data is not properly validated or encoded before being rendered to users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can lead to complete compromise of administrative sessions within the phpipam environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can potentially escalate privileges, modify DNS records to redirect traffic to malicious servers, or even gain access to sensitive network infrastructure information. The powerDNS administrative interface is particularly valuable to attackers as it provides access to critical network infrastructure configuration data, making this vulnerability a prime target for reconnaissance and privilege escalation activities. The attack surface is further expanded because the vulnerability affects the administrative functionality, meaning that even if a user is not directly interacting with the powerDNS module, any authenticated administrator could be vulnerable to exploitation. This creates a significant risk for organizations that rely on phpipam for network management, as successful exploitation could lead to complete network infrastructure compromise through DNS manipulation or session hijacking.
Organizations utilizing phpipam version 1.6 should implement immediate mitigations to protect against exploitation of this vulnerability. The most effective immediate solution involves implementing proper input validation and output encoding across all user-supplied data within the powerDNS administrative interface. This includes sanitizing all input fields before processing and ensuring that any data rendered back to users is properly encoded to prevent script execution. Security patches should be applied immediately from the phpipam vendor to address the root cause of the vulnerability, as the current version contains a known flaw that allows for persistent cross site scripting attacks. Additionally, organizations should implement web application firewall rules that specifically target XSS patterns in the affected endpoint, particularly focusing on common script injection patterns such as <script>, javascript:, and other malicious payload indicators. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious activities related to the powerDNS administrative interface, and access controls should be reviewed to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to administrative functions. Implementation of content security policies can also provide additional protection by restricting script execution within the application's administrative interface, making exploitation more difficult for attackers who might attempt to leverage this vulnerability. The vulnerability represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege and proper input validation, as defined in various cybersecurity frameworks including those referenced in the ATT&CK framework's web application exploitation techniques.