CVE-2024-46475 identifies a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Metronic Admin Dashboard Template version 2.0. Reflected XSS occurs when user-supplied input is immediately returned by a web application without proper sanitization or encoding, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code. In this case, the vulnerability exists on the homepage, enabling an attacker to craft a malicious URL or payload that, when visited by a user, executes arbitrary code within the victim's browser context. This can lead to theft of session cookies, user impersonation, or manipulation of the displayed content. The CVSS 3.1 vector indicates network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), but requires high privileges (PR:H) and user interaction (UI:R). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects components beyond the initially vulnerable component. The impact is limited to confidentiality and integrity (C:L, I:L) with no availability impact (A:N). No patches or fixes have been published yet, and no known exploits are reported in the wild. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79, which is a common web application security weakness involving improper input validation and output encoding. Since the affected product is a widely used admin dashboard template, any web application integrating this template without additional protections may be vulnerable. Attackers typically exploit reflected XSS by sending crafted URLs to users, relying on social engineering to induce clicks. The vulnerability can be leveraged to perform session hijacking, phishing, or defacement attacks within the context of the affected web application.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-46475 is the potential compromise of user confidentiality and integrity within web applications using the Metronic Admin Dashboard Template v2.0. Attackers can execute arbitrary scripts in users' browsers, potentially stealing session tokens, cookies, or other sensitive data accessible via the browser. This can lead to unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the user, such as data manipulation or privilege escalation within the application. Although availability is not affected, the trustworthiness and security of the affected web applications can be undermined, leading to reputational damage and potential regulatory compliance issues. Organizations relying on this template for administrative interfaces are at risk, especially if these interfaces are exposed to untrusted users or external networks. The requirement for user interaction and high privileges reduces the likelihood of widespread automated exploitation but does not eliminate targeted attacks. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently limits immediate risk, but the vulnerability remains a moderate threat until patched.

To mitigate CVE-2024-46475, organizations should first monitor for any official patches or updates from the Metronic Admin Dashboard Template maintainers and apply them promptly once available. In the interim, implement strict input validation and output encoding on all user-supplied data, especially on the homepage and any endpoints reflecting user input. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts and reduce the impact of potential XSS payloads. Use HTTP-only and secure flags on cookies to protect session tokens from theft via JavaScript. Limit access to the admin dashboard to trusted networks or authenticated users with minimal privileges to reduce exposure. Educate users about the risks of clicking suspicious links and implement multi-factor authentication to mitigate the impact of compromised credentials. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focusing on XSS vulnerabilities in web applications using this template. Additionally, consider implementing web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules designed to detect and block reflected XSS attack patterns targeting the affected endpoints.