CVE-2001-0948 in Enterprise Validation Authority
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (CSS) vulnerability in ValiCert Enterprise Validation Authority (EVA) 3.3 through 4.2.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or display false information by including HTML or script in the certificate s description, which is executed when the certificate is viewed.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0948 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within ValiCert Enterprise Validation Authority software versions 3.3 through 4.2.1. This security weakness resides in the certificate description handling mechanism where user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being rendered in web interfaces. The flaw allows malicious actors to inject malicious HTML or script code into certificate descriptions, which then executes when legitimate users view these certificates through web browsers. This vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration framework as CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-site Scripting vulnerabilities where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper validation or escaping mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious certificate description containing embedded script tags or HTML elements that are designed to execute in the context of a victim's browser session. When a user accesses the compromised certificate through the EVA web interface, the malicious code executes with the privileges of the victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or the display of false information that could deceive users into believing they are interacting with legitimate systems. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic insecure data handling pattern where input validation and output encoding are insufficiently implemented in the certificate management web interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure as it creates a persistent threat vector that can be leveraged for various malicious activities. Attackers can use this flaw to redirect users to phishing sites, steal session cookies, inject malicious content that appears to originate from trusted certificate authorities, or even execute arbitrary commands within the browser context of affected users. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on ValiCert EVA for certificate management, as it undermines the trust model that digital certificates are designed to establish. The attack surface is broad since any certificate description field that is rendered in web interfaces could potentially be exploited, making this a significant concern for certificate authorities and organizations managing large certificate portfolios.
Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including immediate patching of affected EVA versions to address the root cause of the vulnerability. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious script injection attempts in certificate description fields. The implementation of strict input validation and output encoding mechanisms becomes critical for preventing similar vulnerabilities in the future, aligning with ATT&CK framework techniques that emphasize the importance of preventing data injection attacks through proper input sanitization. Regular security assessments of web-based certificate management interfaces should be conducted to identify and remediate similar weaknesses that could be exploited for similar purposes. Organizations should also consider implementing certificate monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous certificate descriptions and alert security teams to potential exploitation attempts.