CVE-2024-7299 in Bolt
Summary
by MITRE • 07/31/2024
** UNSUPPORTED WHEN ASSIGNED ** A vulnerability was found in Bolt CMS 3.7.1. It has been rated as problematic. This issue affects some unknown processing of the file /preview/page of the component Entry Preview Handler. The manipulation of the argument body leads to cross site scripting. The attack may be initiated remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The associated identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-273167. NOTE: This vulnerability only affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer. NOTE: Vendor was contacted early and confirmed that the affected release tree is end-of-life.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/16/2025
CVE-2024-7299 represents a cross-site scripting vulnerability within Bolt CMS 3.7.1 that demonstrates the persistent risks associated with unsupported software environments. This vulnerability resides in the Entry Preview Handler component, specifically within the /preview/page file processing logic, where improper handling of the body argument parameter creates exploitable conditions for malicious actors. The flaw manifests when user-supplied input is not adequately sanitized or validated before being rendered in the browser context, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the victim's browser session.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows established patterns of XSS exploitation where the body parameter serves as the attack vector through which malicious payloads can be injected into the preview functionality. This represents a classic reflected XSS vulnerability pattern where the malicious input is processed by the server and immediately reflected back to the user without proper sanitization. The vulnerability's classification as remotely exploitable indicates that attackers can initiate the attack through network-based vectors without requiring physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in web-facing applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with the capability to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, and potentially escalate privileges within the application context. In the context of content management systems, this vulnerability can be leveraged to compromise administrator accounts, modify content, or redirect users to malicious sites. The fact that this vulnerability has been publicly disclosed and is known to be exploitable significantly increases the risk profile, as it removes the element of surprise that attackers typically rely on for successful exploitation. The vulnerability's exploitation can lead to complete system compromise when combined with other attack vectors or when administrators with elevated privileges interact with the malicious content.
Security practitioners should understand that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness that allows attackers to inject client-side scripts into web applications. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this under T1566.001 - Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, where the malicious payload is delivered through the CMS preview functionality. Organizations utilizing unsupported software versions face heightened risk as vendors have ceased providing security updates, leaving known vulnerabilities unpatched and potentially exploitable. The vulnerability's end-of-life status for the affected release tree underscores the critical importance of maintaining current software versions and implementing proper security monitoring for legacy systems. Mitigation strategies should include immediate implementation of input validation controls, output encoding, and consideration of the application of Content Security Policies to limit the impact of potential XSS exploitation.