CVE-2024-51668 in MyCurator Content Curation Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/09/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation (XSS or 'Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Mark Tilly MyCurator Content Curation allows Stored XSS.This issue affects MyCurator Content Curation: from n/a through 3.78.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/01/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2024-51668 represents a critical security flaw in the Mark Tilly MyCurator Content Curation software system, specifically targeting the web page generation process through improper input neutralization. This weakness manifests as a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into the application's content management system. The flaw exists within the software's handling of user-supplied data during the dynamic generation of web pages, creating an environment where malicious code can persist and execute against unsuspecting users who interact with the compromised content. The vulnerability affects all versions of MyCurator Content Curation from the initial release through version 3.78, indicating a long-standing issue that has not been adequately addressed in the software's input validation mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user inputs that are subsequently rendered in web pages without proper encoding or filtering. When users submit content through the MyCurator interface, the application fails to adequately neutralize potentially malicious input strings that could contain script tags or other executable code sequences. This improper handling allows attackers to store malicious payloads within the application's database or content management structure, where they remain dormant until accessed by other users. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious code executes every time affected pages are loaded, making it particularly dangerous for content curation platforms where multiple users regularly interact with generated web content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it enables sophisticated attack vectors that can compromise user sessions, steal sensitive information, and potentially provide attackers with persistent access to the affected system. Users who view compromised content may unknowingly execute malicious scripts that can hijack their browser sessions, capture keystrokes, or redirect them to phishing sites. The vulnerability's presence in a content curation platform amplifies its risk potential, as administrators and content creators may inadvertently expose themselves and their organizations to these attacks. The stored nature of the XSS vulnerability means that even after the initial injection, the malicious code continues to affect users without requiring repeated exploitation attempts, creating a persistent threat vector that can remain undetected for extended periods.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the MyCurator Content Curation application. The primary defense involves ensuring that all user-supplied inputs undergo strict sanitization before being stored or rendered in web pages, with particular attention to HTML encoding of special characters and script tag removal. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection, while also establishing robust input validation routines that reject or sanitize potentially dangerous sequences. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other input handling processes, and the application should be updated to version 3.79 or later where appropriate security patches have been implemented. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a clear violation of ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious content, making it a critical priority for remediation in any security-conscious environment.