CVE-2008-1503 in BIG-IP
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the web management interface in F5 BIG-IP 9.4.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the name of a node object, or the (2) sysContact or (3) sysLocation SNMP configuration field, aka "Audit Log XSS." NOTE: these issues might be resultant from cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/21/2019
The CVE-2008-1503 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in F5 BIG-IP version 9.4.3 within its web management interface. This vulnerability specifically targets the audit log functionality and affects three distinct input vectors including node object names, sysContact SNMP configuration fields, and sysLocation SNMP configuration fields. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated users' browsers, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data exfiltration, or complete compromise of the management interface. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web application's user interface components.
This XSS vulnerability operates through the web management interface of the F5 BIG-IP system, which serves as the primary administrative control point for network traffic management and security policies. The affected parameters are typically used for system identification and configuration purposes, making them prime targets for malicious exploitation. When administrators or users interact with the audit log functionality, the vulnerable input fields fail to properly sanitize or encode user-supplied data before rendering it within HTML output contexts. This failure creates opportunities for attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the victim's browser context, potentially bypassing standard security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it represents a significant security weakness in a critical network infrastructure component. The F5 BIG-IP system serves as a cornerstone for load balancing, application delivery, and security services within enterprise networks, making its management interface a high-value target for attackers. Successful exploitation could allow threat actors to establish persistent access to the management interface, potentially leading to complete system compromise, unauthorized configuration changes, or the ability to monitor and manipulate network traffic flows. The vulnerability's potential for CSRF exploitation further amplifies its danger, as it could enable attackers to perform administrative actions without user consent.
Security practitioners should recognize this vulnerability as a classic example of CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses XSS vulnerabilities in web applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a technique for "Web Application Attack" under the broader category of "Initial Access" and "Persistence" tactics. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, output encoding, and proper sanitization of all user-supplied data within the web management interface. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of the management interface to trusted administrative networks only, while regular security assessments should verify that all F5 BIG-IP systems are updated to patched versions that address this vulnerability. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation in web applications and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of administrative interfaces.