CVE-2022-45014: Uncovering a Critical XSS Vulnerability in WBCE CMS v1.5.4 Search Settings Module

Introduction:
CVE-2022-45014 is a significant security vulnerability that has emerged in the web-based content management system, WBCE CMS v1.5.4. It is crucial for developers, administrators, and users to understand its impact and take appropriate measures to mitigate the risks associated with it. In this post, we will delve into the details of the vulnerability, analyze a code snippet, and discuss how attackers can exploit it to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML via a crafted payload injected into the Results Header field in the Search Settings module of WBCE CMS.

Vulnerability Details

The vulnerability – CVE-2022-45014 – is a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack that affects the Search Settings module of WBCE CMS v1.5.4. XSS vulnerabilities occur when an application includes untrusted data on a web page without proper validation or escaping, which allows an attacker to execute malicious scripts and manipulate the user experience.

In this particular case, an attacker can take advantage of the vulnerability by injecting a specially crafted payload into the Results Header field of the Search Settings module. The payload, once submitted, is not adequately sanitized, which would enable the attacker to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML when a user interacts with a search result.

Code Snippet Analysis

To better understand the vulnerability, let's examine the code snippet in question. Within the Search Settings module, we notice that the Results Header field value is being passed without any sanitization or encoding:

// File: modules/search/module/edit_module.php

echo "<tr>";
echo "<td>Results Header: </td>";
echo "<td><input type='text' name='results_header' value='{$results_header}'></td>";
echo "</tr>";

As you can see in the code above, the user-provided value ($results_header) is directly placed into the input field without any kind of sanitization. This lack of proper filtering allows an attacker to inject a payload that could lead to the execution of arbitrary web scripts or HTML.

Exploit Details

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker could craft an appropriate XSS payload, such as the following example:

<script>alert('XSS')</script>

Then, the attacker injects this payload into the Results Header field in the Search Settings module and saves the changes. When a target user performs a search using the search bar provided by WBCE CMS, the injected payload will be executed, leading to the execution of the arbitrary web script (in this case, displaying an alert with the message 'XSS').

Mitigation

To mitigate the risk associated with CVE-2022-45014, we strongly recommend updating your WBCE CMS to the latest version, which should have the necessary security patches to resolve this vulnerability. In addition, you should always validate and sanitize user-provided inputs in both server-side and client-side code to prevent arbitrary script execution.

For more information on CVE-2022-45014, please refer to the links below

1. CVE-2022-45014 at NVD (National Vulnerability Database)

2. WBCE CMS Official Website

3. OWASP Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Guide

Conclusion

CVE-2022-45014 is a critical XSS vulnerability that affects the Search Settings module of WBCE CMS v1.5.4. Thoroughly comprehending the vulnerability, its consequences, and the steps required to mitigate its risks will help ensure the security of your web applications. Updating your WBCE CMS version, validating and sanitizing user-provided data, and staying informed about the latest security vulnerabilities will help protect your web assets from potential attacks.

Timeline

Published on: 11/21/2022 15:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 11/21/2022 20:27:00 UTC