CVE-2025-0424 in bestinformed Web
Summary
by MITRE • 02/18/2025
In the "bestinformed Web" application, some user input was not properly sanitized. This leads to multiple authenticated stored cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. An authenticated attacker is able to compromise the sessions of other users on the server by injecting JavaScript code into their session using an "Authenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting". Those other users might have more privileges than the attacker, enabling a form of horizontal movement.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/18/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-0424 resides within the "bestinformed Web" application where inadequate input sanitization allows for authenticated stored cross-site scripting attacks to occur. This represents a critical security flaw that undermines the application's integrity and user session protection mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically affects the application's handling of user-supplied data, where proper validation and sanitization processes are absent or insufficiently implemented.
The technical flaw manifests when authenticated users submit content that contains malicious JavaScript code which is then stored within the application's database or storage systems. This stored content is subsequently served to other users without proper sanitization, creating a persistent XSS vector. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting as a result of insufficient input validation and output encoding. This allows an attacker to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of other users' browsers, effectively hijacking their sessions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement. When exploited, the vulnerability enables horizontal privilege escalation by allowing attackers to compromise sessions of users with higher privileges than themselves. This creates a significant risk for organizations where administrators or power users are targeted, as the attacker can potentially gain access to sensitive administrative functions, confidential data, or perform actions with elevated permissions. The attack vector requires authentication but does not require additional privileges, making it particularly dangerous in environments where user accounts are numerous and privileges are granular.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application stack. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers, proper HTML escaping of user-generated content, and regular security code reviews are essential. Additionally, the application should employ proper session management practices including secure session tokens, session timeout mechanisms, and regular session invalidation. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to OWASP Top Ten security guidelines, particularly those addressing input validation and session management. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on the use of malicious code in web applications, and T1078 which addresses valid accounts and legitimate credentials for persistence.