CVE-2025-41050 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/base_libs.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/05/2025
This vulnerability exists within the appRain Content Management Framework version 4.0.5 where an authenticated stored cross-site scripting flaw has been identified through insufficient input validation mechanisms. The weakness specifically manifests in the '/apprain/developer/addons/update/base_libs' endpoint where user-controllable parameters 'data[Addon][layouts]' and 'data[Addon][layouts_except]' fail to properly sanitize or validate incoming data before storage and subsequent execution. This creates a persistent security risk where authenticated attackers can inject malicious scripts that will execute in the context of other users who view the affected content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from a lack of proper input sanitization and output encoding practices within the application's data handling pipeline. When administrators or authorized users modify addon configurations through the specified endpoint, the application stores the provided values without adequate validation or sanitization. This allows malicious actors with valid credentials to inject javascript payloads that persist in the database and execute whenever affected pages are rendered. The vulnerability is classified as stored XSS due to the persistence of malicious code in the application's data store rather than reflected XSS which would occur in a single request context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with the ability to escalate privileges, steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of victims, and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions. Attackers could leverage this flaw to modify addon configurations, inject backdoors, or redirect users to malicious sites. The authenticated nature of the vulnerability means that attackers must first obtain valid credentials, but once compromised, they can maintain persistent access and cause significant damage to the application's integrity and user data.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a common web application security flaw, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor input validation practices that violate security best practices outlined in OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation, output encoding, and secure coding practices to prevent such flaws. The recommended mitigations include immediate patching of the application to version 4.0.6 or later, implementing proper input sanitization for all user-controllable parameters, enforcing strict validation of addon configuration data, and establishing monitoring for suspicious administrative activities. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security code reviews to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities before exploitation.