CVE-2010-4322 in Vibe OnPrem
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in gwtTeaming.rpc in Novell Vibe OnPrem 3 BETA allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the Micro Blog (aka What Are You Working On?) field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/08/2018
The CVE-2010-4322 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Novell Vibe OnPrem 3 BETA's gwtTeaming.rpc component, specifically targeting the Micro Blog functionality also known as "What Are You Working On?" This vulnerability affects remote authenticated users who can exploit the system through the web interface to inject malicious scripts into the blogging mechanism. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the application's user-generated content handling process, creating a persistent security weakness that enables attackers to execute unauthorized scripts in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and demonstrates a classic XSS attack vector where malicious code can be executed when other users view the compromised blog entries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the gwtTeaming.rpc endpoint which processes user input for the microblogging feature without proper sanitization of special characters or script tags. When authenticated users submit content through the What Are You Working On? field, the application fails to adequately encode or filter the input before rendering it on web pages. This allows attackers to embed malicious javascript code, html tags, or other script elements that will execute when other users browse to the affected microblog entries. The vulnerability is classified as stored XSS since the malicious content persists in the application's database and affects all users who view the compromised entries. This type of vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly sanitize user input in web applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-4322 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even escalate privileges within the application context. An attacker could craft malicious blog entries that, when viewed by other users, could steal authentication tokens or redirect users to phishing sites designed to capture credentials. The vulnerability affects the collaborative nature of Novell Vibe's microblogging feature, potentially compromising the entire user base that interacts with these shared content elements. Given that this is an authenticated vulnerability, attackers must first establish valid credentials, but once achieved, the impact can be severe as the compromised user context can be leveraged to access other user data or perform actions within the application's permissions. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 - Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, as the malicious content could be delivered through the microblogging interface to target specific users.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's data flow. Organizations should deploy proper HTML escaping routines for all user-generated content, particularly within rich text or microblogging features. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular security audits should verify that all input fields are properly sanitized. Application developers should adopt secure coding practices that align with OWASP Top Ten recommendations, specifically addressing injection flaws and cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. Patch management procedures must be established to ensure timely updates to the Novell Vibe platform, as this vulnerability was addressed in subsequent releases. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in microblogging content submissions that might indicate exploitation attempts, and user access controls should be reviewed to minimize the impact of compromised accounts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining robust security practices in collaborative applications where user-generated content is a core feature.