CVE-2008-1432 in SupportCenter Plus
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in SolutionSearch.do in ManageEngine SupportCenter Plus 7.0.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the searchText parameter, a related issue to CVE-2008-1299. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/16/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-1432 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in ManageEngine SupportCenter Plus version 7.0.0, specifically within the SolutionSearch.do component. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The flaw manifests when the searchText parameter in the SolutionSearch.do servlet is not properly sanitized or validated, creating an avenue for remote code execution through web script injection.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs at the input validation layer where user-supplied data enters the application without adequate filtering mechanisms. When attackers submit malicious payloads through the searchText parameter, the application fails to properly escape or encode the input before rendering it in the web response. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers who view the search results. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the application layer, targeting the user interface components that display search query results and related information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the application. An attacker could craft malicious search terms that, when viewed by authenticated users, would execute scripts to steal session cookies or redirect users to phishing sites. The related vulnerability CVE-2008-1299 indicates this represents part of a broader pattern of input validation weaknesses within the SupportCenter Plus application, suggesting that similar issues may exist in other components of the system. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 for Account Access Token Manipulation and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary code within user sessions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user inputs through proper HTML encoding before rendering any content in web responses, particularly in areas where dynamic content is displayed. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities and deploy web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify and remediate similar input validation issues. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to the principle of least privilege in web application development, as proper input validation and output encoding can prevent the majority of XSS attack vectors.