CVE-2024-51664 in Beds24 Online Booking Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/09/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation (XSS or 'Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Mark Kinchin Beds24 Online Booking allows Stored XSS.This issue affects Beds24 Online Booking: from n/a through 2.0.25.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/01/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2024-51664 represents a critical security flaw in the Beds24 Online Booking system that falls under the category of improper input neutralization during web page generation. This specific weakness manifests as a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into the application's user interface. The vulnerability exists within the Beds24 Online Booking platform and impacts versions ranging from an unspecified initial version through 2.0.25, indicating a significant attack surface that could affect numerous installations. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that malicious payloads persist in the application's database and are executed whenever affected pages are loaded, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that process user input. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of input validation and output encoding, creating persistent security risks for end users who interact with the compromised system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied data within the Beds24 Online Booking framework. When users submit content through various input fields, the application fails to properly validate or escape special characters that could be interpreted as executable script code. This flaw enables attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code into the web application's output, which gets stored in the database and subsequently served to other users. The vulnerability's classification as a CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation - indicates that the application does not adequately neutralize user input before rendering it within HTML pages. The attack chain typically involves an attacker creating malicious content through legitimate user interfaces, which is then stored and executed when other users view the affected pages, creating a persistent threat vector.
The operational impact of this stored XSS vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with significant control over user sessions and data within the Beds24 Online Booking environment. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, modify page content, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability's presence in the booking system creates potential risks for sensitive hospitality data, including guest information, reservation details, and payment data. Additionally, the stored nature of the attack means that even users who do not directly interact with the malicious content can be compromised when they access pages that contain the injected scripts. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 - Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, where attackers can use the compromised system to deliver malicious payloads to unsuspecting users. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning for hospitality businesses that rely on the Beds24 platform for critical booking operations and customer data management.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-51664 must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar vulnerabilities. The most critical immediate action involves implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase, particularly in areas where user-generated content is processed and stored. Organizations should deploy comprehensive content security policies that prevent script execution within user-facing interfaces and ensure all user input is properly sanitized before database storage. The implementation of a robust web application firewall can provide additional protection layers while the underlying vulnerability is being patched. Security measures should also include regular security assessments and code reviews focused on input handling and output encoding practices. Organizations using Beds24 Online Booking should urgently upgrade to versions that address this vulnerability while implementing monitoring systems to detect potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process should follow established security frameworks such as OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines, ensuring that the fix addresses not just the immediate vulnerability but also strengthens the overall security posture of the application against similar threats.