Overview
A stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability has been identified in CiviCRM before version 6.7. Designated as CVE-2025-65187, this vulnerability resides within the Accounting Batches field. An authenticated user with sufficient privileges can inject malicious JavaScript code into this field. This code will then execute whenever a user views the affected page, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data theft, or other malicious activities.
Technical Details
The vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization and validation of user-supplied input within the Accounting Batches field. Specifically, the application fails to properly encode special characters before displaying the data. This allows an attacker to inject arbitrary JavaScript code, which is then stored within the CiviCRM database. When a user accesses the page containing the injected code, their browser executes the malicious script, effectively giving the attacker control within the user’s session. This requires an authenticated user, making the impact potentially limited, but still significant depending on the user’s role.
The vulnerable field allows storing data without proper filtering, making it possible to include JavaScript code disguised as regular text. When the application renders this stored data, the browser interprets the injected JavaScript, leading to XSS execution.
CVSS Analysis
The provided information indicates that a CVSS score is currently “N/A”. This might be because the vulnerability assessment is still in progress, or the details available are insufficient for a complete calculation. However, even without a formal CVSS score, a stored XSS vulnerability should be considered a serious risk. We strongly recommend patching or mitigating this vulnerability as soon as possible.
Possible Impact
Exploiting this vulnerability could have several significant consequences:
- Account Hijacking: An attacker could steal cookies or session tokens, allowing them to impersonate other users, including administrators.
- Data Theft: Malicious scripts could be used to extract sensitive information from the CiviCRM database or other parts of the application.
- Defacement: The attacker could modify the appearance of the CiviCRM interface, potentially damaging the organization’s reputation.
- Malware Distribution: The injected script could redirect users to malicious websites or attempt to install malware on their systems.
- Phishing: The attacker could inject phishing forms into the CiviCRM interface to steal user credentials.
Mitigation or Patch Steps
The recommended course of action is to upgrade your CiviCRM installation to version 6.7 or later. This version includes a fix that addresses the XSS vulnerability in the Accounting Batches field.
- Upgrade CiviCRM: The primary solution is to upgrade to the latest stable version of CiviCRM (6.7 or later). Follow the official CiviCRM upgrade instructions.
- Input Validation (If Patching is Delayed): As a temporary workaround (if upgrading immediately isn’t possible), implement stricter input validation on the Accounting Batches field. Sanitize all user input to remove or escape potentially harmful characters. This workaround is highly discouraged as a permanent solution, and a full upgrade is strongly recommended.
- Web Application Firewall (WAF): Consider deploying a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to detect and block XSS attacks. Configure the WAF to specifically look for patterns associated with XSS injection attempts. This provides an additional layer of security.
- Principle of Least Privilege: Review user roles and permissions to ensure that users only have the necessary access to perform their duties. This reduces the potential impact of a compromised account.
