CVE-2025-2274 in Web Security
Summary
by MITRE • 03/16/2026
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation in Forcepoint Web Security (On-Prem) on Windows allows Stored XSS.This issue affects Web Security through 8.5.6.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/06/2026
This vulnerability resides in the Forcepoint Web Security on-premises product running on Windows platforms and represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw that undermines web application security. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization during the web page generation process, specifically when handling user-supplied data that gets stored and subsequently rendered in web interfaces. According to the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, this maps to CWE-79 which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, making it a classic stored XSS vulnerability where malicious scripts are permanently stored on the server and executed when other users access affected pages.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker injects malicious JavaScript code through input fields or parameters that are not properly sanitized before being stored in the application's database or configuration files. When legitimate users subsequently view web pages that display this stored content, the malicious script executes within their browser context, potentially compromising their sessions, stealing cookies, redirecting them to malicious sites, or performing actions on their behalf. The impact is particularly severe because the vulnerability affects versions through 8.5.6, indicating this flaw has persisted across multiple releases, suggesting inadequate security testing or input validation mechanisms in the web security appliance's content generation pipeline.
The operational impact extends beyond simple script execution as it compromises the integrity of the entire web security infrastructure. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to bypass security controls, escalate privileges, or establish persistent access points within the network. This represents a significant threat to organizations relying on Forcepoint Web Security for content filtering and web access control, as successful exploitation could allow malicious actors to undermine the very security measures designed to protect them. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through drive-by compromises and T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, potentially enabling further lateral movement and privilege escalation within the network environment.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Forcepoint, implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious script payloads. Network segmentation and monitoring of web traffic can help identify exploitation attempts, while user education regarding suspicious web content and session management best practices remains crucial. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input sanitization in security appliances and underscores the need for comprehensive security testing throughout the software development lifecycle to prevent such flaws from reaching production environments.