CVE-2024-0467 Overview
CVE-2024-0467 is a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in code-projects Employee Profile Management System 1.0. The flaw resides in the edit_position_query.php script, where the pos_name parameter is rendered without proper sanitization or output encoding. An unauthenticated remote attacker can craft a malicious link that, when clicked by a victim, executes arbitrary JavaScript in the browser session. The vulnerability has been publicly disclosed and tracked as VulDB entry 250572, categorized under [CWE-79]. Because the attack scope crosses trust boundaries, successful exploitation can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component.
Critical Impact
Remote attackers can execute arbitrary JavaScript in a victim's browser through a crafted URL, enabling session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized actions against the Employee Profile Management System.
Affected Products
- Carmelogarcia Employee Profile Management System 1.0
- code-projects Employee Profile Management System (as distributed via code-projects)
- edit_position_query.php endpoint accepting the pos_name parameter
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-01-12 - CVE-2024-0467 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-0467
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a reflected cross-site scripting flaw in the position-editing workflow of the Employee Profile Management System. The edit_position_query.php endpoint accepts the pos_name HTTP parameter and echoes it back into the HTTP response without HTML entity encoding or contextual escaping. An attacker who supplies script content in that parameter can cause the browser to execute it in the origin of the vulnerable application.
Exploitation requires user interaction, typically through a phishing link. Once the payload executes, the attacker inherits the victim's authenticated session context within the application. This allows theft of session cookies, keystroke capture, forced administrative actions, and pivoting into linked resources across trust boundaries.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing input validation and missing output encoding on the pos_name request parameter [CWE-79]. The application concatenates user-controlled data directly into the HTML response, allowing script tags and event handlers to render as executable code rather than inert text.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based and requires no authentication. An attacker crafts a URL pointing at edit_position_query.php with a JavaScript payload embedded in the pos_name parameter. The attacker then delivers the URL through phishing, forum posts, or malicious redirects. When an authenticated user opens the link, the payload executes in their session context. Refer to the GitHub proof-of-concept document and the VulDB entry #250572 for public technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-0467
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP requests to edit_position_query.php containing <script>, onerror=, onload=, or URL-encoded equivalents inside the pos_name parameter.
- Web server access logs showing unusually long or encoded values in pos_name, especially originating from external referrers.
- Outbound browser requests from internal users to unknown domains immediately after loading application pages.
Detection Strategies
- Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) rule that inspects query and body parameters targeting edit_position_query.php for XSS signatures.
- Enable full HTTP request logging on the application server and alert on script-like content in pos_name.
- Use browser Content Security Policy (CSP) violation reports to identify injection attempts against the application.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor authentication events for anomalous session reuse patterns following XSS exploitation, such as concurrent logins from different geographies.
- Track referrer headers on requests to the vulnerable endpoint to identify phishing campaigns pointing at the application.
- Correlate proxy logs with endpoint telemetry to surface credential harvesting activity triggered by injected scripts.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-0467
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict network access to the Employee Profile Management System until a patched version is deployed, limiting exposure to trusted networks or VPN.
- Add a WAF rule that blocks requests to edit_position_query.php containing HTML tags or JavaScript event handlers in the pos_name parameter.
- Enforce a strict Content Security Policy that disallows inline scripts and untrusted script sources.
- Instruct users to avoid clicking untrusted links referencing the application and reset session cookies after suspicious activity.
Patch Information
No vendor security advisory or official patch has been published for CVE-2024-0467 at the time of writing. Organizations running Employee Profile Management System 1.0 should treat the deployment as unpatched. Review the VulDB advisory for any updates and consider replacing the application with a maintained alternative if no fix becomes available.
Workarounds
- Apply server-side input validation that rejects non-alphanumeric characters in the pos_name parameter before it reaches application logic.
- Implement output encoding using an HTML-context-aware library so that user-supplied data is rendered as text rather than markup.
- Set the HttpOnly and Secure flags on session cookies to reduce the impact of successful script execution.
- Deploy a reverse proxy filter that strips or encodes angle brackets and quote characters in request parameters bound for the vulnerable endpoint.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
