PHPGurukul Small CRM 3.0: Unveiling and Mitigating CVE-2024-44647 (XSS Vulnerability)

Overview

This article provides a detailed analysis of CVE-2024-44647, a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability discovered in PHPGurukul Small CRM 3.0. We will cover the technical details of the vulnerability, its potential impact, and practical steps you can take to mitigate the risk and secure your CRM system.

Technical Details of CVE-2024-44647

CVE-2024-44647 identifies a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability present in the PHPGurukul Small CRM 3.0. Specifically, the vulnerability resides in the manage-tickets.php file through the aremark parameter. An attacker can inject malicious JavaScript code via this parameter. When a user clicks a crafted link or submits a form containing the malicious script, the script will execute within the user’s browser in the context of the CRM application.

CVSS Analysis

The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) assigns CVE-2024-44647 a score of 6.1 (MEDIUM). This score reflects the potential impact and exploitability of the vulnerability. While not considered a critical vulnerability, XSS can still lead to significant security breaches.

Possible Impact

Successful exploitation of this XSS vulnerability can have several serious consequences, including:

• Session Hijacking: An attacker can steal a user’s session cookies and impersonate them within the CRM.
• Data Theft: Sensitive data stored within the CRM, such as customer information or financial records, could be accessed and stolen.
• Malware Distribution: The injected script can redirect users to malicious websites or attempt to download and install malware on their systems.
• Defacement: The attacker can alter the appearance of the CRM application, potentially damaging its reputation and functionality.
• Phishing Attacks: Injecting malicious HTML can trick users into entering their credentials on fake login pages.

Mitigation and Patch Steps

To protect your PHPGurukul Small CRM 3.0 installation from CVE-2024-44647, follow these mitigation steps:

1. Update to a patched version: Check the PHPGurukul website for a newer version of the Small CRM that addresses this vulnerability. If available, upgrade immediately.
2. Input Validation: Implement robust input validation on the aremark parameter in manage-tickets.php. Sanitize all user-supplied input to remove or escape potentially malicious characters, especially HTML tags and JavaScript code. Use escaping functions provided by PHP (e.g., htmlspecialchars()).
3. Output Encoding: Ensure that all data displayed from the aremark parameter is properly encoded to prevent the browser from interpreting it as HTML or JavaScript. Use appropriate encoding functions (e.g., htmlspecialchars()) when displaying the data.
4. Web Application Firewall (WAF): Consider deploying a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to filter out malicious requests and protect against XSS attacks. Configure the WAF with rules that specifically target XSS vulnerabilities.

References

CVE-2024-44647 Details on GitHub
PHPGurukul Small CRM Official Website