CVE-2024-55651 is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in version 2.9 of the portabilis i-Educar software, a free, fully online school management system. The vulnerability arises due to improper validation and sanitization of user-supplied input specifically in the 'Tipo de Usuário' (user type) input field. This flaw allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts that are stored on the server and subsequently executed in the browsers of other users who access the affected data. Exploitation of this vulnerability could enable an attacker to retrieve sensitive information belonging to other users, such as session tokens, personal data, or other confidential information accessible through the application interface. Since the vulnerability is stored XSS, the malicious payload persists and can affect multiple users over time. The CVSS 4.0 score is low (2.0), reflecting limited impact and exploitation complexity; however, the vulnerability requires a low privilege user and some user interaction (victim must view the malicious content). No patches or mitigations are currently available, increasing the risk for organizations using version 2.9 of i-Educar. The vulnerability does not affect confidentiality, integrity, or availability at a high level but can lead to sensitive information leakage and potentially facilitate further attacks such as session hijacking or phishing within the application context.

For European organizations, especially educational institutions using i-Educar version 2.9, this vulnerability poses a risk of sensitive data exposure and unauthorized access to user information. Since i-Educar is a school management system, compromised data could include student records, staff information, and administrative details, potentially violating data protection regulations such as GDPR. The stored XSS could also be leveraged to conduct targeted attacks on users within the institution, undermining trust and disrupting normal operations. Although the CVSS score is low, the impact on confidentiality and user privacy is significant in the context of educational data. The lack of a patch means organizations must rely on compensating controls to mitigate risk. The threat is more pronounced in environments where multiple users have access to the system and where user input is not otherwise filtered or monitored.

Given the absence of an official patch, European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Restrict user privileges to the minimum necessary, especially limiting who can input or modify the 'Tipo de Usuário' field. 2) Implement web application firewalls (WAF) with custom rules to detect and block typical XSS payloads targeting the vulnerable input field. 3) Employ input validation and output encoding at the application or proxy level as a temporary measure to sanitize user inputs and outputs. 4) Conduct regular security awareness training for users to recognize suspicious behavior and avoid interacting with untrusted content within the platform. 5) Monitor application logs and user activities for unusual patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. 6) Consider isolating or segmenting the i-Educar deployment to limit potential lateral movement in case of compromise. 7) Engage with the vendor or community to track patch releases and apply updates promptly once available.