CVE-2008-2026 in Authentication Agent
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in WebID/IISWebAgentIF.dll in RSA Authentication Agent 5.3.0.258, and other versions before 5.3.3.378, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a URL-encoded postdata parameter. NOTE: this is different than CVE-2005-1118, but it might be the same as CVE-2008-1470.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/16/2017
The CVE-2008-2026 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in RSA Authentication Agent versions prior to 5.3.3.378, specifically affecting the WebID/IISWebAgentIF.dll component. This vulnerability resides within the authentication agent that facilitates secure access to web applications through RSA's authentication infrastructure, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on RSA's multi-factor authentication solutions. The flaw manifests when the system fails to properly sanitize user input from URL-encoded postdata parameters, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts within the context of authenticated sessions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of HTTP POST data that gets processed by the IISWebAgentIF.dll module. When a malicious user crafts a specially formatted URL-encoded parameter containing script code, the authentication agent fails to adequately validate or escape the input before rendering it in the web response. This processing gap enables attackers to inject HTML and JavaScript code that executes within the victim's browser session, potentially compromising the security of authenticated users. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the authentication layer, meaning that successful exploitation could allow attackers to hijack user sessions or perform actions with the privileges of authenticated users.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations using RSA Authentication Agent versions before the patched release. Attackers could leverage this flaw to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized transactions, or redirect users to malicious sites that appear to be legitimate authentication portals. The attack surface extends beyond simple script injection, as the compromised authentication agent could provide attackers with elevated privileges within the organization's authentication infrastructure. This makes the vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors targeting enterprise environments where RSA authentication is deployed, potentially enabling broader attacks against the organization's IT ecosystem. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-79, which addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and could be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1566.002 for credential access through malicious web content.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through the deployment of RSA Authentication Agent version 5.3.3.378 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the input validation issues. Additionally, network administrators should implement proper input sanitization measures at the web application level, including the deployment of web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script injection attempts. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any systems running vulnerable versions of the RSA Authentication Agent and ensure that all authentication infrastructure components are updated. The mitigation strategy should include monitoring for suspicious authentication requests and implementing proper logging to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure preparedness for potential exploitation of this authentication-related vulnerability that could compromise user sessions and potentially lead to broader security incidents within their network infrastructure.