CVE-2011-2083 in Best Practical
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Best Practical Solutions RT 3.x before 3.8.12 and 4.x before 4.0.6 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/03/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2083 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Best Practical Solutions RT ticketing system versions 3.x prior to 3.8.12 and 4.x prior to 4.0.6. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to inject malicious scripts or HTML content into the application, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity. The unspecified vectors suggest that the attack could occur through multiple entry points within the application's input handling mechanisms, making the vulnerability particularly concerning for security professionals who must account for various attack surfaces.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when user-supplied input is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered in web pages. This allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that execute within the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of victims. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the RT system where user input is processed and displayed, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate the application's behavior through crafted inputs that bypass normal security controls. Attackers could leverage this weakness to inject malicious JavaScript code that would execute whenever legitimate users view affected pages, making the impact widespread and potentially severe.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2083 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform actions with the privileges of authenticated users within the RT system. This could result in unauthorized access to sensitive ticket information, modification of ticket data, or even complete system compromise if the application's user permissions are not properly enforced. Organizations using affected versions of RT face significant risk of data breaches, as attackers could exploit this vulnerability to access confidential information stored within the ticketing system. The vulnerability's presence in widely-used ticketing systems means that organizations could be exposed to persistent threats, as the attack vectors may not be immediately apparent to system administrators and security teams.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve upgrading to patched versions of the RT software, specifically versions 3.8.12 and 4.0.6 or later, which contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should also implement input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent malicious content from being executed within the application context. Security measures should include regular security assessments of web applications, implementation of content security policies, and comprehensive monitoring for suspicious activities. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework as a web application vulnerability underscores the importance of defensive measures such as web application firewalls and regular security testing. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security training for developers to ensure proper input sanitization practices and implement automated security scanning tools to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications within their infrastructure.