CVE-2024-52353 in Christian Science Bible Lesson Subjects Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/11/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation (XSS or 'Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Gabriel Serafini Christian Science Bible Lesson Subjects allows DOM-Based XSS.This issue affects Christian Science Bible Lesson Subjects: from n/a through 2.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/28/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical web application security flaw that enables malicious actors to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The issue manifests as a DOM-based cross-site scripting vulnerability within the Christian Science Bible Lesson Subjects web application, specifically affecting versions ranging from n/a through 2.0. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization during the dynamic generation of web page content, creating an attack surface where user-supplied data can be improperly processed and executed within the browser context.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurs when the application fails to properly escape or sanitize user-provided input before incorporating it into the Document Object Model structure of web pages. This allows attackers to manipulate the DOM directly through malicious script injection, bypassing traditional server-side input validation mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically impacts the web page generation process where dynamic content is constructed based on user input, making it particularly dangerous as it can execute within the security context of the vulnerable application itself. This type of attack falls under CWE-79 which classifies improper neutralization of input during web page generation as a primary weakness in web application security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including but not limited to credential theft, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the application's context. Users who visit compromised pages or interact with the vulnerable application may unknowingly execute malicious scripts that can persistently compromise their browser sessions. The DOM-based nature of the vulnerability means that the attack vector operates entirely within the browser without requiring server-side processing, making it particularly challenging to detect and prevent through traditional network-based security measures.
Security professionals should implement comprehensive mitigations including strict input validation and sanitization at multiple layers of the application architecture, proper content security policy implementation, and thorough DOM manipulation validation. The recommended approach involves applying the principle of least privilege to input handling, implementing proper output encoding for all dynamic content, and establishing robust input validation routines that prevent malicious script injection. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems specifically designed to detect and prevent DOM-based XSS attacks. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which focuses on social engineering tactics and the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to user sessions and data.
The affected application's vulnerability landscape requires immediate attention as DOM-based XSS attacks can be particularly insidious due to their ability to operate silently within user browsers without leaving obvious traces in server logs. Implementation of proper security controls including regular security code reviews, automated vulnerability scanning, and comprehensive user input sanitization procedures should be prioritized to address this weakness. Additionally, maintaining up-to-date application versions and implementing proper security awareness training for developers can help prevent similar issues from occurring in future releases of the Christian Science Bible Lesson Subjects application.