CVE-2010-0452 in Project
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in HP Project and Portfolio Management Center (PPMC, formerly Mercury IT Governance) 7.1 through SP10 and 7.5 through SP3 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/03/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-0452 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in HP Project and Portfolio Management Center version 7.1 through SP10 and 7.5 through SP3. This security weakness falls under the category of CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into web page content. The vulnerability affects a widely used enterprise project management solution that was formerly known as Mercury IT Governance, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on this platform for their project portfolio management activities.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's web interface. Attackers can exploit this flaw by injecting malicious scripts or HTML code through unspecified vectors within the application's user interaction points. These vectors likely include form fields, URL parameters, or any input mechanisms that process user-supplied data without proper sanitization. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts in the context of authenticated users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized administrative actions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms and escalate privileges within the application environment. Organizations using affected versions of HP PPMC face significant risks including unauthorized access to sensitive project data, manipulation of project timelines and resource allocations, and potential data exfiltration. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not need physical access to the network or local system access, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where the application may be accessible from multiple network locations. This risk is compounded by the fact that the vulnerability affects multiple service packs, indicating it was a persistent flaw in the application's architecture rather than a temporary coding error.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-0452 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems, with organizations upgrading to versions of HP Project and Portfolio Management Center that contain the necessary security fixes. The remediation approach should also include implementing comprehensive input validation measures and output encoding across all user-facing application components. Security teams should deploy web application firewalls to monitor and filter malicious requests, while also establishing strict content security policies to prevent script execution in user-supplied content. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other enterprise applications, following the ATT&CK framework's methodology for identifying and addressing web application security weaknesses. Organizations should also implement user education programs to raise awareness about phishing attempts that might exploit similar vulnerabilities in other systems.