CVE-2003-0623 in Tuxedo
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Administration Console for BEA Tuxedo 8.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script via the INIFILE argument.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-0623 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness within the Administration Console of BEA Tuxedo version 8.1 and earlier. This flaw resides in the console's handling of user input parameters, specifically the INIFILE argument which is processed without adequate sanitization or validation. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly encode or escape special characters in input data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the application's response.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers provide malicious input through the INIFILE parameter in the Administration Console interface. When the application processes this parameter and includes it in the web page output without proper input validation or output encoding, the injected script executes within the context of other users' browsers who access the affected console. This creates a persistent XSS vector that can be leveraged to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious sites. The vulnerability is classified as a classic reflected XSS issue according to CWE-79, which specifically addresses the improper handling of untrusted data in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable attackers to gain unauthorized administrative access to the Tuxedo system. Since the Administration Console typically requires elevated privileges, successful exploitation could allow threat actors to manipulate system configurations, view sensitive data, or compromise the entire application stack. The vulnerability affects organizations using BEA Tuxedo 8.1 or earlier versions, which were commonly deployed in enterprise environments for transaction processing and middleware management. This creates a significant risk for businesses relying on these legacy systems without proper security patches, as the attack surface remains exposed for potential exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate input validation and output encoding measures. Organizations must implement proper parameter sanitization techniques that filter or escape special characters before processing user input, particularly in parameters like INIFILE that are directly incorporated into web responses. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular security updates and patch management processes should be enforced to address known vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering through malicious content, and specifically demonstrates the attack surface that enables credential theft and privilege escalation in enterprise middleware environments. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns targeting this specific parameter.