Source: cve@mitre.org
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Open Constructor 3.12.0 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the result parameter to data/file/edit.php, (2) the q parameter to confirm.php, or (3) the keyword parameter to users/users.php.
Open Constructor 3.12.0 is vulnerable to multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. This can lead to account compromise, data theft, and website defacement. Successful exploitation requires no authentication and can be easily automated.
Step 1: Payload Delivery: The attacker crafts a malicious URL containing a JavaScript payload within one of the vulnerable parameters (result, q, or keyword).
Step 2: Request Submission: The attacker sends the crafted URL to a victim, typically through phishing, social engineering, or by embedding it on a malicious website.
Step 3: Server Processing: The vulnerable Open Constructor application receives the request and processes the parameters. The application fails to properly sanitize the input.
Step 4: Response Generation: The application generates an HTML response that includes the unsanitized user-supplied data (the JavaScript payload).
Step 5: Victim Interaction: The victim's web browser receives the malicious HTML response and executes the injected JavaScript code.
Step 6: Exploitation: The injected JavaScript code can perform various malicious actions, such as stealing cookies, redirecting the user to a phishing site, or defacing the website.
The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within Open Constructor 3.12.0. Specifically, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in the HTML response. This allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code through the result parameter in data/file/edit.php, the q parameter in confirm.php, and the keyword parameter in users/users.php. The lack of proper input validation and output encoding (e.g., HTML escaping) allows the injected scripts to execute within the context of the vulnerable website, leading to XSS.
While no specific APTs are directly associated with this specific CVE, XSS vulnerabilities are commonly exploited by various threat actors. This vulnerability could be leveraged by attackers for initial access, especially in conjunction with other vulnerabilities. Not listed on CISA KEV.
Network Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) can be configured to detect XSS payloads in HTTP requests, specifically looking for JavaScript code within parameters like result, q, and keyword.
Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) can be deployed to filter out malicious requests containing XSS payloads.
Review web server logs for suspicious activity, such as unusual URL patterns or repeated requests containing XSS payloads.
Examine HTTP response bodies for unexpected JavaScript code or HTML tags that could indicate XSS injection.
Monitor user activity for suspicious behavior, such as unexpected redirects or changes to user accounts.
Upgrade to a patched version of Open Constructor or a version that addresses the XSS vulnerabilities. If upgrading is not possible, apply the vendor's recommended patches or workarounds.
Implement robust input validation to sanitize all user-supplied data before processing it. This includes validating data types, lengths, and formats.
Implement output encoding (e.g., HTML escaping) to ensure that user-supplied data is properly encoded before being rendered in HTML responses. This prevents the execution of malicious scripts.
Use a Content Security Policy (CSP) to restrict the sources from which the browser can load resources, mitigating the impact of XSS attacks.
Regularly scan the web application for XSS vulnerabilities using automated tools and manual penetration testing.
Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to filter malicious requests.