CVE-2024-50407 in Namaste LMS Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/29/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Bob Namaste! LMS namaste-lms allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects Namaste! LMS: from n/a through <= 2.6.2.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/07/2026
This cross-site scripting vulnerability exists within the Bob Namaste LMS software from the initial release up to and including version 2.6.2, making a significant portion of the user base potentially vulnerable to this attack vector. The reflected nature of the XSS means that malicious input is immediately reflected back to the user without proper sanitization or encoding, creating an immediate execution environment for attacker-controlled scripts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization within the web application's rendering pipeline. When user-supplied parameters are directly incorporated into dynamically generated web content without proper HTML escaping or output encoding, malicious payloads can be executed within the victim's browser context. This weakness aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities arising from improper neutralization of input during web page generation. The vulnerability typically occurs when parameters from HTTP requests are processed and displayed without appropriate validation mechanisms or output encoding procedures that would prevent script execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious sites. An attacker could craft specially formatted URLs containing malicious JavaScript payloads that, when clicked by an authenticated user, would execute within the context of the victim's session. This creates a significant risk for administrators and users who may be tricked into clicking malicious links, potentially leading to complete compromise of the learning management system and exposure of sensitive educational data. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that attacks can be delivered through phishing emails, social engineering, or compromised web pages that direct users to malicious URLs.
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 strict HTML escaping to all user-supplied content before rendering it in web pages, ensuring that any potentially dangerous characters are properly encoded. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against script execution. Organizations should also consider implementing proper parameter validation at the application level, using established frameworks and libraries that automatically handle XSS prevention. Regular security updates and patches should be applied immediately upon availability, as this vulnerability affects multiple versions of the software and represents a persistent risk that requires immediate attention. The remediation efforts should align with ATT&CK framework techniques related to defensive measures against cross-site scripting attacks, particularly focusing on input validation and output encoding controls.