CVE-2007-5472 in HIPS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Server component in CA Host-Based Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) before 8.0.0.93 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via requests that are written to logs for later display in the log viewer.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/20/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-5472 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Server component of CA Host-Based Intrusion Prevention System HIPS version 8.0.0.93 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the system's logging mechanism where user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being stored and subsequently displayed in the log viewer interface. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers, creating a persistent security risk that can compromise the confidentiality and integrity of the system's monitoring capabilities.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws where untrusted data is improperly integrated into web pages without proper sanitization or encoding. The vulnerability occurs during the log processing phase where input validation is insufficient to prevent malicious payloads from being stored in the system's database. When legitimate users access the log viewer interface, the malicious scripts contained within the stored log entries execute in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data exfiltration, or further exploitation of the compromised user's privileges. The attack vector is particularly insidious because it leverages the system's own logging functionality as an attack surface, making detection and prevention more challenging.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it fundamentally undermines the trust model of the intrusion prevention system. An attacker could inject scripts that redirect users to malicious sites, steal authentication cookies, or manipulate the log viewer interface to hide malicious activities from administrators. This creates a false sense of security where the very system designed to monitor and protect against threats becomes a conduit for those same threats. The vulnerability affects the system's integrity by allowing unauthorized modification of the log data that administrators rely upon for security analysis and incident response. Furthermore, it compromises the availability of the system's monitoring capabilities as malicious scripts could potentially cause browser crashes or render the log viewer interface unusable.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of the CA HIPS system to version 8.0.0.93 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to properly sanitize input before logging. Organizations should implement additional network-level protections including web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script payloads in HTTP requests. Input validation should be strengthened at multiple layers including the application level, database level, and network level to ensure that no malicious content can be stored in the logging system. Security teams should also consider implementing regular log monitoring procedures to detect unusual patterns that might indicate successful exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce regressions in system functionality while maintaining the security enhancements. Additionally, organizations should review their incident response procedures to ensure they can quickly identify and respond to potential exploitation of this vulnerability, as the nature of the flaw means that attackers could have persisted in the system undetected for extended periods.