CVE-2011-0552 in IM Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the management console in Symantec IM Manager before 8.4.18 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) refreshRateSetting parameter to IMManager/Admin/IMAdminSystemDashboard.asp, the (2) nav or (3) menuitem parameter to IMManager/Admin/IMAdminTOC_simple.asp, or the (4) action parameter to IMManager/Admin/IMAdminEdituser.asp.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/03/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2011-0552 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness affecting Symantec IM Manager versions prior to 8.4.18. This vulnerability resides within the management console component of the software, making it particularly dangerous as it targets administrative interfaces that typically handle sensitive configuration data and user management functions. The affected parameters span multiple administrative pages, indicating a systemic lack of input validation and output encoding across the console's user interface components.
The technical flaw manifests through insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input parameters, specifically refreshRateSetting, nav, menuitem, and action parameters. These parameters are directly incorporated into web responses without proper HTML escaping or validation, creating opportunities for attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of authenticated users' browsers. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding, where untrusted data is processed and rendered without adequate protection mechanisms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to organizations using Symantec IM Manager, as successful exploitation could allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts in the context of any user accessing the management console. Attackers could potentially steal session cookies, modify user permissions, access sensitive configuration data, or perform unauthorized administrative actions. The impact is amplified because these vulnerabilities affect core administrative functions including system dashboard management, table of contents navigation, and user editing capabilities, which are frequently accessed by administrators with elevated privileges.
The attack surface is particularly concerning as it targets multiple entry points within the management console, suggesting that the development team failed to implement consistent input validation across the application's administrative interface. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566.001 for spearphishing with attachments, as attackers could leverage these XSS flaws to deliver malicious payloads to unsuspecting administrators. Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided patch to version 8.4.18 or later, implement proper input validation at the application level, and consider network-based mitigations such as web application firewalls to protect against exploitation attempts. Additionally, security awareness training for administrators should emphasize the importance of avoiding suspicious links and maintaining up-to-date software patches to prevent successful exploitation of such persistent vulnerabilities.