CVE-2025-41044 in CMF
Summary
by MITRE • 09/04/2025
A vulnerability has been discovered in appRain CMF version 4.0.5, consisting of a stored authenticated XSS due to a lack of proper validation of user input, through the 'data[Page][name]' parameter in /apprain/page/manage-static-pages/create.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-41044 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within the appRain Content Management Framework version 4.0.5. This vulnerability specifically manifests through the improper validation of user input in the administrative interface, where the 'data[Page][name]' parameter fails to implement adequate sanitization measures. The affected endpoint /apprain/page/manage-static-pages/create serves as the entry point for this security weakness, allowing authenticated attackers with sufficient privileges to inject malicious scripts into the application's data storage system. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting as the injection of malicious scripts into web applications, and specifically maps to CWE-80 which addresses improper neutralization of script-related HTML tags in a web page. The flaw exists in the application's input validation mechanisms, where user-supplied data is directly stored without proper sanitization or encoding before being rendered back to users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends significantly beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to execute malicious code within the context of other users' browsers. When authenticated administrators or users with appropriate permissions create or modify static pages through the vulnerable endpoint, their input is stored in the database without proper validation. Subsequently, when other users access these pages or when administrators view the stored content, the malicious scripts execute in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers the use of malicious web content in phishing attacks, and T1584.001 which addresses the development of malicious code for exploitation purposes. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload persists in the application's database, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple users over extended periods without requiring repeated exploitation attempts.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an authenticated user with sufficient privileges to access the page management functionality within the appRain CMF administrative interface. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that include javascript code or other malicious scripts within the 'data[Page][name]' parameter when creating or editing static pages. These payloads are then stored server-side and executed whenever the affected pages are rendered to other users, creating a persistent threat vector. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the application's security architecture, specifically in its data sanitization and output encoding practices. Security controls such as input validation, output encoding, and proper session management are insufficiently implemented to prevent this type of attack. Organizations using appRain CMF version 4.0.5 should immediately implement mitigations including input sanitization at the application layer, output encoding of all user-supplied content, and regular security audits of input validation mechanisms. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and security monitoring solutions can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of proper input validation and output encoding practices as recommended in OWASP Top Ten 2021 and the Secure Coding guidelines outlined in NIST SP 800-160. Organizations should also consider implementing principle of least privilege access controls and regular security patch management to minimize the attack surface and prevent unauthorized access to administrative functions.