CVE-2025-41060 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/tree.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2025
This vulnerability exists within appRain CMF version 4.0.5 where a stored authenticated cross-site scripting flaw has been identified through inadequate input validation mechanisms. The vulnerability manifests specifically through the 'data[Addon][layouts]' and 'data[Addon][layouts_except]' parameters within the /apprain/developer/addons/update/tree endpoint, creating a persistent security risk for authenticated users who can manipulate these input fields. The flaw allows malicious actors with valid credentials to inject malicious scripts that will execute in the context of other users who view the affected content, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or data exfiltration.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization and validation of user-supplied data within the application's input handling mechanisms. When authenticated users submit data through the specified parameters, the application fails to properly validate or sanitize the input before storing it in the database or rendering it in subsequent responses. This lack of proper input validation creates a persistent XSS vector that can be exploited across multiple user sessions. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-79 which describes Cross-Site Scripting flaws due to improper input handling and validation. The vulnerability type specifically represents a stored XSS attack where malicious payloads are permanently stored on the server and executed when other users access the affected pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that leverage the authenticated user context. An attacker with access to the application's developer interface can craft malicious payloads that will execute whenever other administrators or users view the addon management pages. This creates potential for privilege escalation attacks where attackers can gain elevated permissions or access sensitive administrative functions. The vulnerability also supports data theft scenarios where session cookies or other sensitive information can be harvested through script execution. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with T1566 (Phishing) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) tactics, as it enables attackers to establish persistent access through malicious script injection.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's data handling pipeline. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through proper validation routines that reject or escape potentially malicious content before storage. Input validation should occur at multiple layers including client-side, server-side, and database storage levels to provide defense in depth. The application should implement strict whitelisting of acceptable input formats and reject any data that does not conform to predefined security policies. Additionally, output encoding should be applied when rendering user data to prevent script execution in web contexts. Security patches should be prioritized and deployed immediately to address this vulnerability, as the authenticated nature of the flaw means that any user with valid credentials can potentially exploit it. Regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses throughout the application's codebase.