CVE-2010-3981 in BusinessObjects
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 3.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the ServiceClass field to the Edit Service Parameters page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/07/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-3981 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 3.2, specifically targeting the Edit Service Parameters page functionality. This issue arises from insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing and rendering within web interfaces. The vulnerability manifests when attackers exploit the ServiceClass field parameter, which serves as an entry point for malicious script injection attacks. The flaw exists at the application layer where user input is directly incorporated into dynamic web content without adequate sanitization or encoding measures.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows standard XSS attack patterns where malicious actors can craft specially formatted payloads that get executed in the context of other users' browsers. When the vulnerable ServiceClass field receives unvalidated input, the application processes this data and includes it in the HTML response without proper escaping or encoding, creating opportunities for attackers to inject malicious scripts. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that enables various attack vectors including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. The attack typically requires minimal privileges and can be executed through simple web browser interactions, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where BusinessObjects is widely deployed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to perform unauthorized actions within the application context. Successful exploitation could allow threat actors to access sensitive business intelligence data, manipulate service configurations, or establish persistent access points through session manipulation techniques. The vulnerability affects organizations using SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 3.2, which was widely adopted in enterprise environments for business intelligence and reporting purposes. This creates significant risk for companies relying on these systems for critical business operations, as the attack surface includes not just the web interface but also the underlying business intelligence data and service configurations. The vulnerability's remote nature means attackers can exploit it from external networks without requiring physical access to the target systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-3981 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms at the application level. Organizations should deploy proper parameter validation for all user-supplied inputs, particularly those used in dynamic web content generation. The recommended approach includes implementing strict input sanitization filters that remove or escape potentially dangerous characters and patterns before processing user data. Additionally, organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities within the application context. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell, as attackers may leverage the XSS capability to execute malicious scripts in the victim's browser context. SAP released patches and updates to address this vulnerability, and organizations should implement these immediately while also conducting comprehensive security assessments of their BusinessObjects implementations. The remediation process should include reviewing all web application interfaces for similar input validation gaps and implementing comprehensive security testing procedures including dynamic application security testing to identify additional vulnerabilities in the application stack.