CVE-2022-45038: Uncovering a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Vulnerability in WBCE CMS v1.5.4 and Its Exploit Details

Security vulnerabilities continue to pose a significant threat to web applications, and a recently discovered Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability underscores this point. In this post, we will delve deeper into a particular XSS vulnerability found in WBCE CMS v1.5.4 ("/admin/settings/save.php") and discuss the exploit details, potential impact, and remediation steps. Additionally, we will present the code snippet and direct you to the original references for this vulnerability, which has been assigned the CVE-2022-45038 identifier.

Background

WBCE CMS is a popular open-source Content Management System that allows users to create and manage websites with ease. From time to time, vulnerabilities are discovered and fixed in the system to ensure it remains secure. The vulnerability we will be discussing today is an example of a stored XSS vulnerability, which means that malicious code is injected and stored on the application itself, potentially causing harm to unsuspecting users.

Vulnerability Details

The vulnerability (CVE-2022-45038) occurs in the "/admin/settings/save.php" file of WBCE CMS v1.5.4 and is classified as a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability. The issue arises due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input, which allows an attacker to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content into the "Website Footer" field. This injected content is then stored on the server and subsequently executed by the victim's browser when they visit the impacted page.

Below is a simple example of a vulnerable code snippet

$website_footer = $_POST['website_footer'];
$database->query("UPDATE " . TABLE_PREFIX . "settings SET value = '$website_footer' WHERE name = 'website_footer'");

The code snippet above accepts the 'website_footer' value from user input without properly sanitizing or validating the input, thereby allowing the attacker to craft a payload and store it in the system.

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker could craft a payload like the one below

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

The attacker would then submit this payload into the "Website Footer" field, which gets stored in the database. When an unsuspecting user visits the page containing the footer, the malicious script is executed, potentially leading to the theft of sensitive information, session hijacking, or other harmful consequences.

Original References

- NVD - CVE-2022-45038
- GitHub - WBCE CMS

Mitigation and Remediation

To remediate this vulnerability, it is crucial to implement proper input validation and output encoding techniques to prevent the injection of malicious code. The best approach would be to adopt a robust security development lifecycle, ensuring that vulnerabilities are identified and fixed earlier in the development process.

Users of WBCE CMS are advised to apply any available patches or upgrades that address this vulnerability. Be sure to keep your system up to date and follow best security practices to ensure the protection of your web applications.

Conclusion

The discovery of an XSS vulnerability in WBCE CMS v1.5.4 highlights the need for robust input validation and output encoding to protect web applications from cybersecurity threats. By understanding the exploit details and following best practices for remediation, developers and users can work together to make the web a more secure environment.

Remember to monitor and apply relevant security patches to your software to minimize risks and protect your digital assets from potential adversaries.

Timeline

Published on: 11/25/2022 16:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 11/28/2022 21:07:00 UTC