CVE-2007-3830 in Proventia Network IPS GX5108
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in alert.php in ISS Proventia Network IPS GX5108 1.3 and GX5008 1.5 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the reminder parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-3830 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the ISS Proventia Network IPS GX5108 and GX5008 security appliances. This weakness exists in the alert.php script which processes user input without proper sanitization, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated users. The specific parameter affected is the reminder parameter, which is processed by the system without adequate input validation or output encoding mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient data validation practices within the web application layer of these network intrusion prevention systems. When the system receives a reminder parameter through HTTP requests, it fails to properly filter or encode the input before incorporating it into the web page response. This omission creates a condition where an attacker can craft malicious payloads that will be executed in the browsers of legitimate users who view the affected alert page. The vulnerability is classified as a reflective XSS attack since the malicious script is reflected back to users through the web application's response without being stored on the server.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with the capability to perform various malicious activities within the context of authenticated users. An attacker could potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, deface web interfaces, or execute more sophisticated attacks such as credential theft or privilege escalation within the affected system. Given that these are network security appliances, successful exploitation could compromise the integrity of network monitoring and threat detection capabilities, potentially allowing attackers to evade detection or manipulate security alerts. The vulnerability affects both the GX5108 and GX5008 models, indicating a widespread issue within the product line that would require coordinated remediation efforts across multiple devices.
Organizations utilizing these security appliances face significant risk from this vulnerability as it undermines the trust model of the web interface and exposes the system to persistent threats. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires no special privileges to exploit, making it accessible to any remote attacker with knowledge of the affected parameter. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and it maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for credential access through social engineering and T1071 for application layer protocol usage. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patch application from the vendor, input validation implementation, and output encoding of all user-supplied data. Network segmentation and monitoring of suspicious traffic patterns can provide additional defensive layers while the organization should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit this vulnerability.