CVE-2025-41048 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[Addon][layouts]' and 'data[Addon][layouts_except]' parameters in /apprain/developer/addons/update/admin.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/05/2025
This vulnerability resides within appRain CMF version 4.0.5 where a stored cross-site scripting flaw exists due to insufficient input validation mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically manifests through the 'data[Addon][layouts]' and 'data[Addon][layouts_except]' parameters within the administrative update endpoint at /apprain/developer/addons/update/admin. The flaw allows authenticated attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist in the application's data storage, making it a stored XSS vulnerability rather than a reflected one. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as a result of inadequate input validation and output encoding. The attack vector requires an authenticated user with sufficient privileges to access the addon management functionality, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts and T1566.001 for credential access through web applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to sanitize and validate user-supplied data before storing it in the database. When administrators modify addon configurations through the specified parameters, the application does not properly encode or validate the input values, allowing malicious payloads to be stored and subsequently executed whenever the data is rendered in the user interface. This creates a persistent threat where malicious scripts can execute in the context of other authenticated users who view the affected addon configurations. The vulnerability represents a critical security gap in the application's data handling processes, particularly in the administrative interfaces where sensitive configuration data is managed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges, steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of other users, and potentially gain access to sensitive administrative functions. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could manipulate addon layouts to redirect users to malicious sites, steal administrative credentials, or compromise the entire application environment. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payloads remain active until manually removed from the database, providing attackers with persistent access. This aligns with ATT&CK tactic TA0006 (credential access) and TA0004 (privilege escalation) through the exploitation of authenticated administrative interfaces.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's data flow. The primary remediation involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through the affected parameters using appropriate encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding, JavaScript escaping, or Content Security Policy implementation. The application should enforce strict validation rules that reject or sanitize any input containing potentially malicious script tags or other XSS attack patterns. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and privilege separation ensures that only authorized personnel can modify addon configurations, reducing the attack surface. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other application components. Organizations should also consider implementing Web Application Firewalls and security monitoring solutions to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The remediation process should follow security best practices outlined in OWASP Top 10 and NIST cybersecurity guidelines, particularly focusing on input validation and output encoding as core defense mechanisms against XSS attacks.