CVE-2017-15219 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

The dotCMS 4.1.1 application is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in specific fields, potentially exposing users to malicious attacks.

Understanding CVE-2017-15219

This CVE identifies a Stored XSS vulnerability in dotCMS 4.1.1, affecting certain fields within the application.

What is CVE-2017-15219?

The title field of vanity-urls, the description field of containers, and the description field of templates in dotCMS 4.1.1 are susceptible to Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). This vulnerability could allow attackers to inject malicious scripts into these fields, leading to potential security breaches.

The Impact of CVE-2017-15219

The vulnerability could enable attackers to execute arbitrary scripts within the affected fields, compromising the security and integrity of the dotCMS application and potentially exposing sensitive information to unauthorized parties.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-15219

This section provides more in-depth technical details about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The dotCMS 4.1.1 application is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in the title field of vanity-urls, the description field of containers, and the description field of templates.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Version: Not applicable

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by injecting malicious scripts into the vulnerable fields, allowing attackers to execute unauthorized code within the dotCMS application.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2017-15219 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update dotCMS to a patched version that addresses the XSS vulnerability.
Implement input validation mechanisms to sanitize user inputs in vulnerable fields.
Regularly monitor and audit the application for any signs of unauthorized script injections.

Long-Term Security Practices

Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
Educate developers and administrators on secure coding practices to prevent XSS attacks.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that the dotCMS application is regularly updated with the latest security patches and fixes to mitigate the risk of XSS vulnerabilities.