CVE-2003-0389 in Ace Agent
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the secure redirect function of RSA ACE/Agent 5.0 for Windows, and 5.x for Web, allows remote attackers to insert arbitrary web script and possibly cause users to enter a passphrase via a GET request containing the script.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/08/2021
The CVE-2003-0389 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the RSA ACE/Agent secure redirect functionality across multiple versions of the software. This vulnerability specifically affects RSA ACE/Agent 5.0 for Windows and 5.x versions for Web platforms, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this authentication system. The flaw resides in how the software handles redirect operations, particularly when processing GET requests that contain malicious script content. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts into the authentication flow, potentially compromising user sessions and credential security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the secure redirect mechanism. When users navigate through the RSA ACE/Agent system and encounter a redirect operation, the software fails to properly sanitize the parameters passed in the GET request. This lack of proper sanitization allows attackers to embed malicious JavaScript code directly within the redirect URL. The vulnerability manifests when the system processes these URLs without adequate filtering or encoding, resulting in the execution of attacker-controlled scripts in the context of the victim's browser session. This flaw operates at the application layer and specifically targets the web interface components of the authentication system.
The operational impact of CVE-2003-0389 extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling sophisticated attacks that can compromise user authentication credentials. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to create malicious redirect URLs that appear legitimate to users, tricking them into entering their passphrases or other sensitive authentication information. The vulnerability creates a pathway for credential theft and session hijacking, as the injected scripts can capture user inputs and transmit them to attacker-controlled servers. This represents a serious threat to the integrity of the authentication system, potentially allowing unauthorized access to protected resources and compromising the overall security posture of organizations using RSA ACE/Agent. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1566 for social engineering attacks that leverage web-based vulnerabilities.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding for all redirect parameters, ensuring that any user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being processed in redirect operations. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution in vulnerable contexts. Regular security updates and patches from RSA should be applied immediately upon availability, as the vulnerability affects multiple versions of the software. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious redirect patterns and potential exploitation attempts. Security awareness training for administrators should emphasize the importance of validating all web application inputs and understanding the risks associated with redirect functionality. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation in authentication systems and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of web applications to prevent similar flaws in other authentication mechanisms.