CVE-2023-38973: Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Vulnerability in Badaso v2.9.7 Add Tag Function

A stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability has been discovered within the Badaso v2.9.7 Content Management System (CMS). The vulnerability is categorized as CVE-2023-38973 and specifically affects the Add Tag function within the CMS. This allows attackers to inject malicious scripts through the Title parameter. This post will cover the details of the vulnerability, the code snippet associated with it, and its potential implications.

Vulnerability Details

The Badaso CMS is widely used for building a variety of websites, apps, and related content platforms. The stored XSS vulnerability found in v2.9.7 provides attackers a means of injecting arbitrary web scripts or HTML into the application. These scripts can then be executed when a user interacts with affected content or pages on the website.

The specific function affected, Add Tag, allows website admins to add tags to content or posts. The Title parameter of this function is where the vulnerability occurs, as the input is not properly sanitized before being stored in the system.

Here’s a simplified code snippet that demonstrates the issue

$app->post('/add_tag', function() use($app) {
    $data = $_POST;
    $title = $data['title'];
    // Missing input sanitization
    $addTag = someMethodToAddTag($title);
    if ($addTag) {
        echo "Tag added successfully!";
    }
});

The issue is due to missing input sanitization before storing data from the Title parameter. This allows attackers to inject harmful payloads that can lead to the execution of arbitrary code or impact website functionality.

Exploit Details

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker simply needs to craft a payload that includes malicious web scripts or HTML. They can then submit this through the Add Tag function's Title parameter and have it stored within the system.

For example, here's a sample payload

"><script>alert('Hacked!');</script>

Once stored, any user that interacts with content containing this injected script will trigger its execution. This can lead to the theft of sensitive information, session hijacking, or even defacement of the entire website.

Mitigation and Fixes

The best way to mitigate this vulnerability and prevent any potential exploitation is to ensure that your Badaso instance is updated to the latest version. This should include any necessary patches or security updates that address this specific vulnerability.

In addition to this, input sanitization should always be performed on any user-submitted data. Properly validating and sanitizing data before storage can help prevent these vulnerabilities from ever surfacing.

References

- Original Advisory: https://github.com/Badaso/Vulnerabilities/issues/1
- CVE Details: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-38973

Conclusion

It is vital to take the CVE-2023-38973 vulnerability seriously, as it poses a significant threat to the security of websites and users alike. By keeping Badaso instances updated and enforcing best practices for input sanitization, we can protect against this type of attack. It's essential to remain vigilant and actively address security threats as they emerge.

Timeline

Published on: 08/25/2023 01:15:08 UTC
Last modified on: 08/29/2023 16:05:57 UTC