CVE-2023-3042 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This CVE-2023-3042 was assigned and published by dotCMS on October 17, 2023, with an update on October 23, 2023. The vulnerability affects versions 5.3.8, 21.06, 22.03, and 23.01 of dotCMS core.

Understanding CVE-2023-3042

CVE-2023-3042 involves a flaw in the NormalizationFilter of dotCMS that allows URLs with double slashes (//) to bypass security mechanisms, potentially leading to cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks and access control vulnerabilities.

What is CVE-2023-3042?

The flaw in the NormalizationFilter in dotCMS versions 5.3.8, 21.06, 22.03, and 23.01 allows URLs containing double slashes to evade proper validation, creating opportunities for XSS and access control bypasses.

The Impact of CVE-2023-3042

The vulnerability, categorized as CAPEC-247 (XSS Using Invalid Characters), poses a medium severity risk with a CVSS base score of 5.3. If exploited, attackers can potentially manipulate URLs to launch XSS attacks and circumvent access controls.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-3042

The vulnerability arises from the NormalizationFilter failing to strip double slashes from URLs, enabling malicious actors to craft URLs that evade security checks. This oversight exposes affected systems to XSS and access control bypass risks.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in dotCMS versions 5.3.8, 21.06, 22.03, and 23.01 lies in the NormalizationFilter, which does not effectively handle URLs with double slashes, opening avenues for XSS attacks and access control bypasses.

Affected Systems and Versions

Versions affected by CVE-2023-3042 include dotCMS core 5.3.8, 21.06, 22.03, and 23.01. Systems running these versions are susceptible to exploitation if not promptly addressed.

Exploitation Mechanism

Malicious actors can exploit this vulnerability by leveraging URLs with double slashes to evade security mechanisms and launch XSS attacks or circumvent access controls, potentially compromising the integrity of the system.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-3042, immediate actions and long-term security practices are recommended to mitigate the risks associated with the vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users can mitigate the vulnerability by blocking URLs with double slashes at firewalls or utilizing dotCMS configuration variables. Specifically, implementing the DOT_URI_NORMALIZATION_FORBIDDEN_STRINGS environmental variable to add // to the list of invalid strings can help prevent exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

In the long term, organizations are advised to regularly update their dotCMS installations to patched versions (23.06+, LTS 22.03.7+, LTS 23.01.4+) to safeguard their systems against known vulnerabilities and maintain a secure environment.

Patching and Updates

Applying the recommended patches and updates provided by dotCMS, specifically versions 23.06+, LTS 22.03.7+, and LTS 23.01.4+, is crucial to remediate CVE-2023-3042 and enhance the overall security posture of dotCMS installations.