Summary

Vulnerability: Stored DOM XSS via Pages Added to Menu (Persistent Payload Injection)

• Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Unsafe Rendering of Page Entries in Menu Management

Description

The application fails to properly sanitize user-controlled input when adding Pages to navigation menus through the Menu Management functionality. Page-related data selected via the Pages section is stored server-side and rendered without proper output encoding.

This stored payload is later rendered unsafely within administrative interfaces and public-facing navigation menus, leading to stored DOM-based cross-site scripting (XSS).

Affected Functionality

• Menu Management – Pages section
• Adding pages to navigation menus
• Menu storage and rendering logic

Attack Scenario

• An attacker creates or controls a page containing a malicious JavaScript payload.
• The attacker adds the page to the menu using the Pages functionality in Menu Manager.
• The application stores the menu entry without sanitization or encoding.
• The payload persists and executes whenever the menu is rendered in administrative or public-facing interfaces.

Impact

• Persistent Stored DOM XSS
• Execution of arbitrary JavaScript in victims’ browsers
• Privilege escalation when viewed by administrators or privileged users
• Full administrator account takeover
• Full account takeover across all roles via the navigation menu
• Full compromise of the entire application due to global execution in the navigation menu

Endpoint:

• /backend/menu/

Steps To Reproduce (POC)

1. Navigate to the Menu Management section of the application.
2. Use the Pages functionality to add a page containing an XSS payload such as: <img src=x onerror=alert(document.domain)>
3. Save the menu entry.
4. View the menu in the administrative panel or any public-facing page.
5. Observe the JavaScript payload executing automatically when the menu is rendered.

Remediation

• Avoid unsafe DOM manipulation methods: Do not use .html(), innerHTML, or similar sink functions in client-side JavaScript or server-side templating (e.g., PHP). Even when user input flowing into these sinks is not immediately apparent, they can introduce Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities that an attacker may exploit.

• Apply output encoding: Implement HTML entity encoding on all user-controlled data before rendering it in the browser. This helps neutralize potentially malicious input.

• Implement input sanitization: Ensure that all user-supplied input is properly sanitized before processing or output. Currently, no sanitization mechanisms are in place, which should be addressed as a priority.

• Enforce security headers and cookie attributes:

  • Content Security Policy (CSP): Define and enforce a strict CSP to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts.
  • HttpOnly flag: Set the HttpOnly attribute on session cookies to prevent client-side script access.
  • SameSite attribute: Configure the SameSite cookie attribute to mitigate Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) risks.
  • Secure flag: Ensure all cookies are transmitted only over HTTPS by enabling the Secure attribute.

  These measures collectively reduce the impact of XSS and help prevent escalation paths such as CSRF via XSS.

Ready Video POC:

https://mega.nz/file/2c8lHSBQ#vwFDj0vhq7vLwMJjBjnAgbHWiIdFqUxAA913H_yQExQ