CVE-2025-23923 in Lockets Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/03/2025
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in NotFound Lockets allows Reflected XSS. This issue affects Lockets: from n/a through 0.999.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2025
This vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw that undermines the security of web applications by allowing malicious scripts to execute in users' browsers. The vulnerability exists within the NotFound Lockets application where input validation and output sanitization mechanisms fail to properly neutralize user-supplied data during web page generation processes. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that malicious input is immediately reflected back to the user without proper encoding or sanitization, creating an environment where attackers can inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of the victim's browser session. This particular weakness falls under the well-documented CWE-79 category for Cross-site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application vulnerabilities according to the CWE hierarchy. The vulnerability affects all versions of Lockets from the initial release through version 0.999, indicating a long-standing issue that has not been adequately addressed in the codebase.
The operational impact of this reflected XSS vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform a variety of malicious activities including but not limited to stealing user credentials, modifying page content to deceive users, redirecting them to malicious sites, or executing unauthorized transactions if the application handles sensitive operations. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that exploitation typically occurs through social engineering attacks where users are tricked into clicking malicious links that contain the crafted payload. This attack vector aligns with the techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1566 tactic for Initial Access through Spearphishing Attachments or Links. The vulnerability's presence in the web page generation process suggests that the application fails to properly escape or encode user input before rendering it in HTML contexts, creating a direct pathway for script execution.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices within the Lockets application's web rendering pipeline. When user input is received through parameters or headers and subsequently displayed in web pages without proper sanitization, the application becomes vulnerable to XSS attacks. The vulnerability's scope encompasses all versions up to 0.999, indicating that developers may have overlooked the importance of implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application lifecycle. This issue represents a fundamental security gap in the application's defense-in-depth strategy, where the absence of proper sanitization controls allows malicious payloads to traverse the application's input processing chain unimpeded. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning because it affects the core functionality of the web application, potentially compromising user data and application integrity.
Mitigation strategies for this reflected XSS vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective approach involves implementing proper context-aware output encoding before any user-supplied data is rendered in HTML contexts, which aligns with the OWASP Secure Coding Practices. Developers should implement Content Security Policy headers to add an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks, while also ensuring that all user input undergoes strict validation and sanitization before being processed or displayed. The application should employ proper HTTP headers such as X-Content-Type-Options and X-Frame-Options to prevent certain types of attacks, and implement proper session management controls to limit the impact of successful exploitation attempts. Regular security testing including automated vulnerability scanning and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues throughout the application's lifecycle, ensuring that the fixes align with industry standards and best practices for web application security.