CVE-2010-1644 in Cacti
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Cacti before 0.8.7f, as used in Red Hat High Performance Computing (HPC) Solution and other products, allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) hostname or (2) description parameter to host.php, or (3) the host_id parameter to data_sources.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/23/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-1644 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting the Cacti network monitoring solution prior to version 0.8.7f. This vulnerability specifically impacts the Red Hat High Performance Computing Solution and numerous other products that utilize Cacti for network monitoring and data visualization. The flaw resides in the web application's handling of user-supplied input parameters within two distinct PHP scripts, creating multiple attack vectors that can be exploited by remote adversaries without requiring authentication or privileged access. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the widespread adoption of Cacti in enterprise network monitoring environments, where it serves as a critical tool for system administrators to track network performance and device status.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the Cacti web interface. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads and injecting them through three specific parameters: hostname and description parameters in the host.php script, and the host_id parameter in the data_sources.php script. These parameters are directly reflected in the web application's output without proper HTML entity encoding or input validation, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary JavaScript code or HTML content. The vulnerability classifies under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, where the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages. The attack vectors are particularly dangerous because they target parameters that are commonly used in network monitoring contexts where administrators might be tricked into clicking malicious links or visiting compromised pages.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-1644 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains within network monitoring environments. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of a victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. In enterprise environments where Cacti is used for critical network monitoring, this vulnerability could allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive network information, manipulate monitoring data, or establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure. The attack requires no special privileges and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous for systems that are exposed to untrusted networks or user communities. Network administrators who interact with Cacti interfaces regularly become prime targets for these attacks, as they may inadvertently click on malicious links or visit compromised pages while performing routine monitoring tasks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-1644 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Cacti installations to version 0.8.7f or later, which includes proper input validation and output sanitization mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive web application firewall rules that can detect and block suspicious script injection attempts in real-time, particularly targeting the vulnerable parameter names and patterns associated with the attack vectors. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of Cacti interfaces to trusted users only, reducing the attack surface available to potential adversaries. Security monitoring should include regular scanning for XSS vulnerabilities in web applications and implementation of automated patch management systems to ensure timely remediation of similar vulnerabilities. The remediation approach should align with ATT&CK framework tactics including T1059.007 for command and script injection, emphasizing the importance of input validation and output encoding as core defensive measures. Additionally, security awareness training for system administrators should be implemented to recognize potential social engineering attempts that might exploit this vulnerability through phishing or malicious link delivery methods.