CVE-2023-48748: Salient Core Reflected XSS Vulnerability

CVE-2023-48748 Overview

Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Theme nectar Salient Core allows Reflected XSS. This issue affects Salient Core from version n/a through 2.0.2.

Critical Impact
This vulnerability could allow attackers to execute JavaScript in the context of the user's browser session.

Affected Products

Themenectar Salient Core

Discovery Timeline

2023-11-30 - CVE-2023-48748 published to NVD
2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2023-48748

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2023-48748 is a medium-severity, reflected XSS vulnerability. The vulnerability arises from the improper neutralization of user input that is dynamically included in web pages. This could permit attackers to inject malicious scripts via URLs.

Root Cause

The root cause is the lack of input validation and output encoding within the Salient Core plugin, specifically missing sufficient sanitation for user-supplied strings in page URLs.

Attack Vector

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability remotely by constructing a malicious URL containing script code. When a user clicks the link, the script executes in their browser context.

javascript

// Example exploitation code (sanitized)
window.location = "http://victim.com/page?query=<script>alert('XSS')</script>";

Detection Methods for CVE-2023-48748

Indicators of Compromise

Presence of unusual script tags in URLs
User reports of unwanted pop-ups
Unfamiliar or script-laden query strings in web server logs

Detection Strategies

Utilize web application firewalls (WAFs) to detect and block common XSS payloads. Log and analyze HTTP request patterns for unexpected script execution.

Monitoring Recommendations

Implement continuous monitoring of web traffic through IDS/IPS. Assess logs for transactions involving script tags within query strings.

How to Mitigate CVE-2023-48748

Immediate Actions Required

Update Salient Core to the latest patched version.
Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) to mitigate script execution.
Sanitize all user input before rendering on web pages.

Patch Information

Check the vendor's site for the latest security updates and patch releases for Salient Core.

Workarounds

Configure the web server to perform URL encoding and validation before processing requests.

bash

# Configuration example
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} ".*<script>.*" [NC]
RewriteRule ^ - [F]