CVE-2024-41446 is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in Alkacon OpenCMS version 17.0. This vulnerability arises from insufficient input sanitization in the 'image' parameter within the Create/Modify article functionality. An attacker can craft a malicious payload containing executable web scripts or HTML and inject it into this parameter. When a legitimate user or administrator views the affected article, the malicious script executes in their browser context. This type of stored XSS allows persistent code execution, potentially enabling attackers to hijack user sessions, deface web content, steal sensitive information, or perform actions on behalf of the victim. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.4 (medium severity), reflecting that the attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires low attack complexity (AC:L), but does require privileges (PR:L) and user interaction (UI:R). The scope is changed (S:C), indicating that the vulnerability affects components beyond the initially vulnerable module. The impact on confidentiality and integrity is low (C:L, I:L), with no impact on availability (A:N). No known exploits are reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79, which is the standard classification for cross-site scripting issues. Since the vulnerability requires authenticated access with user interaction, exploitation is somewhat limited to users with at least some privileges within the CMS environment, such as content editors or administrators. However, the persistent nature of stored XSS makes it a significant risk for web applications that serve multiple users and rely on trust in displayed content.

For European organizations using Alkacon OpenCMS v17.0, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily to the confidentiality and integrity of web application data. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could execute malicious scripts in the browsers of authenticated users, potentially leading to session hijacking, unauthorized actions, or data theft. This could result in compromised user accounts, defacement of public-facing websites, or leakage of sensitive organizational information. Given that OpenCMS is often used by public sector entities, educational institutions, and enterprises for content management, exploitation could damage organizational reputation and trust. The requirement for authenticated access limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, especially if internal users are targeted or if attackers gain low-level credentials through other means. The vulnerability does not affect availability directly, so denial of service is unlikely. However, the potential for lateral movement or privilege escalation through chained attacks remains a concern. European organizations with strict data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR) must consider the implications of data leakage or unauthorized access resulting from such XSS attacks, as this could lead to regulatory penalties and legal consequences.

1. Immediate mitigation should focus on applying input validation and output encoding on the 'image' parameter within the Create/Modify article function to neutralize malicious scripts. Since no official patches are currently linked, organizations should implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious payloads targeting this parameter. 2. Restrict and audit user privileges to minimize the number of users with content creation or modification rights, reducing the risk of insider or compromised user exploitation. 3. Enable Content Security Policy (CSP) headers on the web application to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts and reduce the impact of XSS attacks. 4. Conduct regular security training for CMS users to recognize phishing or social engineering attempts that could lead to credential compromise. 5. Monitor CMS logs for unusual activity related to article creation or modification, especially payloads containing script tags or suspicious HTML. 6. Plan for timely patching once an official fix is released by Alkacon, and test patches in a staging environment before deployment. 7. Consider implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for CMS access to reduce the risk of unauthorized access through compromised credentials.