CVE-2010-4146 in Reflection for the Web
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Attachmate Reflection for the Web 2008 R2 (builds 10.1.569 and earlier), 2008 R1, and 9.6 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2018
The CVE-2010-4146 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Attachmate Reflection for the Web software across multiple versions including 2008 R2 builds 10.1.569 and earlier, 2008 R1, and 9.6 and earlier. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is a pervasive web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The affected software serves as a terminal emulation solution that enables users to connect to mainframe systems through web browsers, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit web-based interfaces.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Reflection for the Web application. Attackers can leverage unspecified vectors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers when they access affected web pages. This occurs because the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web responses, creating an environment where malicious payloads can persist and execute. The vulnerability specifically impacts the web-based interface component of the terminal emulation software, which processes user inputs and displays connection information, session data, and other terminal-related content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious sites. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially access sensitive session information, impersonate legitimate users, or manipulate terminal sessions to gain unauthorized access to mainframe systems. Given that Reflection for the Web is commonly used in enterprise environments for accessing critical business systems, the potential damage from such an attack could be substantial, particularly in scenarios where the software connects to financial, healthcare, or government databases. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions suggests it was a persistent flaw that required careful patch management and security updates across different software releases.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-4146 should prioritize immediate software updates from Attachmate, as the vendor would have released patches addressing the input validation and output encoding deficiencies. Organizations should implement comprehensive web application firewalls and content security policies to detect and block suspicious script injections. Input sanitization measures including proper HTML encoding, validation of user inputs, and implementation of secure coding practices should be enforced throughout the application's web interface. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering through malicious content delivery, and the remediation efforts should include regular security assessments to identify similar input validation weaknesses in other web applications within the organization's infrastructure.