CVE-2002-0166 in Analog
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability in analog before 5.22 allows remote attackers to execute Javascript via an HTTP request containing the script, which is entered into a web logfile and not properly filtered by analog during display.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0166 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw in the analog web log analysis tool version 5.21 and earlier. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the analog application's handling of HTTP requests that contain malicious javascript code. The flaw occurs when analog processes web log entries and displays them without proper filtering or encoding of potentially dangerous content, creating an environment where attacker-controlled scripts can be executed in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical mechanism of this vulnerability operates through the manipulation of web log data that analog collects from web server access logs. When an attacker crafts an HTTP request containing malicious javascript code and this request is processed by analog, the script becomes embedded in the web log entries. During subsequent display of these log entries through analog's web interface, the unfiltered javascript code executes in the browser of any user viewing the log data, regardless of their authentication status or privileges. This represents a fundamental failure in the principle of least privilege and input validation, where the application assumes that all log data is safe and does not properly sanitize potentially harmful content before presentation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of web pages, and redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability affects all users who access the analog web interface and view log data, making it particularly dangerous in shared or public environments where multiple users might access the same log analysis interface. The attack vector is relatively straightforward requiring only the ability to send crafted HTTP requests that will be processed by the vulnerable analog system, which could be achieved through various means including social engineering, automated scanning, or direct exploitation of web applications that generate log entries processed by analog.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and demonstrates the critical importance of proper input sanitization and output encoding. The flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1566, specifically the sub-technique T1566.001 for "Phishing with malicious attachments", as attackers could leverage this vulnerability to deliver malicious scripts through log entries that appear legitimate. The vulnerability represents a persistent security weakness that could be exploited repeatedly as long as the vulnerable analog version remains in use, potentially allowing attackers to maintain access to systems through the execution of persistent malicious scripts in user browsers. Organizations using analog should immediately upgrade to version 5.22 or later where this vulnerability has been addressed through improved input filtering and output sanitization mechanisms.
The remediation strategy for this vulnerability involves immediate upgrading of analog installations to version 5.22 or later, which includes proper input validation and output encoding of log data. Additionally, system administrators should implement network segmentation to limit access to analog interfaces and consider implementing additional logging and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify other potentially vulnerable applications within the organization's infrastructure that may exhibit similar characteristics to this vulnerability.