CVE-2025-40726 in Nosto
Summary
by MITRE • 06/16/2025
Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in /pages/search-results-page in Nosto, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via the q GET request parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/16/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-40726 represents a critical reflected cross-site scripting flaw within the Nosto platform's search results page functionality. This security weakness resides in the specific endpoint /pages/search-results-page where the application fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. The vulnerability manifests when attackers manipulate the q GET request parameter to inject malicious script code that gets reflected back to users browsing the search results page.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Nosto application's search functionality. When the system processes the q parameter without proper sanitization, it directly embeds user-supplied content into the HTML response without appropriate escaping or encoding. This creates an environment where malicious scripts can execute in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or arbitrary code execution within the victim's browser environment. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a classic reflected XSS attack vector where the malicious payload is delivered via a crafted URL.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to both end users and the organization operating the Nosto platform. Attackers can craft malicious URLs containing encoded script payloads that, when clicked by unsuspecting users, execute harmful code in their browsers. The impact extends beyond simple script execution to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks such as credential harvesting, session manipulation, or redirection to malicious sites. Given that search results pages are frequently accessed and often shared, the attack surface for this vulnerability can be substantial, potentially affecting numerous users simultaneously.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2025-40726 requires immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should implement strict sanitization of all user-supplied input parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation. The recommended approach involves employing context-specific output encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding for content embedded in HTML contexts, and JavaScript encoding for content used within script contexts. Additionally, implementing a robust Content Security Policy (CSP) can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts. Security teams should also consider deploying web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious patterns in query parameters to detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter execution through web-based attack vectors.