CVE-2004-0672 in IdentityMinder
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the primary and management web interfaces in Netegrity IdentityMinder Web Edition 5.6 allows remote attackers to execute script as other users via (1) script that starts with %00 in the numOfExpressions parameter or (2) the mobjtype parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/14/2024
The CVE-2004-0672 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in Netegrity IdentityMinder Web Edition 5.6 that affects both primary and management web interfaces. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's web interface components, creating persistent security gaps that can be exploited by remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' sessions. The vulnerability specifically targets parameter handling within the web application's input processing pipeline, where user-supplied data is not properly escaped or validated before being rendered back to users.
The technical exploitation occurs through two distinct attack vectors that leverage different parameter names within the application's web interface. The first vector involves manipulation of the numOfExpressions parameter by injecting script code that begins with the null byte sequence %00, which can bypass certain input filtering mechanisms and allow attackers to inject malicious payloads that execute in the victim's browser context. The second vector targets the mobjtype parameter, which similarly lacks proper input validation and sanitization. Both attack vectors demonstrate a fundamental flaw in the application's data handling architecture, where user-controllable inputs are directly incorporated into web responses without adequate security controls. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting weaknesses in web applications, and represents a classic example of insecure input handling that violates core web security principles.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it enables attackers to perform session hijacking, credential theft, and data manipulation attacks against authenticated users. When successfully exploited, the vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the browser context of legitimate users, potentially leading to complete compromise of user sessions and unauthorized access to sensitive identity management data. The attack can result in privilege escalation, data exfiltration, and unauthorized modifications to user accounts or system configurations. Given that this affects both primary and management interfaces, the potential damage extends beyond simple user-level compromise to include administrative functions and critical identity infrastructure components. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531, which covers "Modify System Image" through web-based attacks, and represents a significant threat to the integrity and availability of identity management services.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-0672 must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar vulnerabilities. The primary fix involves implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation. This includes proper sanitization of input data using allow-list validation approaches and implementing context-appropriate output encoding for all web responses. Organizations should deploy web application firewalls and input validation rules that specifically target null byte sequences and other potentially malicious input patterns. Additionally, the application should be updated to a patched version of Netegrity IdentityMinder Web Edition that addresses these specific XSS vulnerabilities. Security teams should also implement regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing to identify similar input validation flaws in other web applications. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of following secure coding practices and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that include input validation, output encoding, and regular security assessments to prevent exploitation of similar cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in identity management systems.