Source: cna@vuldb.com
A vulnerability was found in PHPGurukul Land Record System 1.0. It has been declared as problematic. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the file /admin/contactus.php. The manipulation of the argument Page Description leads to cross site scripting. The attack can be initiated remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used.
PHPGurukul Land Record System 1.0 suffers from a critical Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability. This allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into the application via the /admin/contactus.php file, potentially leading to account compromise and data theft by stealing user credentials or redirecting users to malicious websites.
Step 1: Payload Delivery: An attacker crafts a malicious JavaScript payload (e.g., <script>alert('XSS');</script>) and injects it into the 'Page Description' field within the /admin/contactus.php file, likely through a crafted HTTP POST request.
Step 2: Data Storage: The application, due to insufficient input validation, stores the malicious payload in its database or other data storage mechanism.
Step 3: Payload Retrieval: A legitimate user, such as an administrator, accesses the section of the application where the 'Page Description' is displayed (e.g., viewing contact us information).
Step 4: Payload Execution: The application retrieves the stored malicious payload from the database and renders it within the HTML response without proper sanitization.
Step 5: Browser Execution: The victim's web browser executes the injected JavaScript code, allowing the attacker to perform actions such as stealing cookies, redirecting the user, or defacing the website.
The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the /admin/contactus.php file, specifically when handling the 'Page Description' parameter. The application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in the HTML response. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code, which is then executed by the victim's browser. The root cause is a lack of input validation and output encoding (e.g., HTML escaping) on the 'Page Description' field. The application trusts user-supplied data without proper sanitization, leading to the XSS vulnerability. The absence of a Content Security Policy (CSP) further exacerbates the issue, as it doesn't restrict the execution of potentially malicious scripts.
While no specific APTs are directly linked to this CVE, the ease of exploitation and potential for credential theft makes it attractive to various threat actors. The lack of specific attribution suggests this could be used by a wide range of actors, from script kiddies to more sophisticated groups. CISA KEV status: Not Listed.
Web Application Firewall (WAF) logs showing suspicious HTTP requests containing JavaScript payloads in the 'Page Description' parameter.
Network traffic analysis revealing unusual client-side JavaScript execution.
Server-side logs indicating the injection of malicious scripts into the application's database or other storage mechanisms.
Monitoring of user activity for suspicious behavior, such as unexpected redirects or the appearance of unfamiliar elements on the page.
Intrusion Detection System (IDS) rules specifically designed to detect XSS attempts.
Implement input validation to sanitize all user-supplied data, ensuring that the 'Page Description' field only accepts expected characters and formats. Specifically, reject or encode any characters that could be interpreted as HTML tags or JavaScript code.
Implement output encoding (e.g., HTML escaping) to properly encode the 'Page Description' data before rendering it in the HTML response. This prevents the browser from interpreting the injected code as executable script.
Implement a Content Security Policy (CSP) to restrict the sources from which the browser can load resources, mitigating the impact of successful XSS attacks. This can prevent the execution of injected JavaScript.
Regularly update the PHPGurukul Land Record System to the latest version, which may include patches for this and other vulnerabilities.
Conduct thorough penetration testing and vulnerability assessments to identify and address any remaining security weaknesses.
Review and harden the web server configuration to minimize attack surface.