CVE-2011-2661 in GroupWise
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in WebAccess in Novell GroupWise 8.0 before HP3 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) Directory.Item.name or (2) Directory.Item.displayName parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/23/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2661 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Novell GroupWise 8.0 before HP3 web access functionality. This issue affects the directory service component where user input is not properly sanitized before being rendered in web responses. The vulnerability specifically targets two parameters within the Directory.Item structure namely Directory.Item.name and Directory.Item.displayName which are susceptible to malicious input injection attacks. These parameters are processed by the web interface without adequate input validation or output encoding mechanisms, creating an exploitable condition that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts within the context of authenticated users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the injection of malicious script code into the vulnerable parameters during directory queries or user management operations. When a user accesses the affected web interface and interacts with directory items containing malicious input in either the name or display name fields, the injected scripts execute in the victim's browser context. This creates a persistent XSS condition where attackers can steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. The vulnerability is classified as a classic stored XSS attack pattern where malicious content is stored on the server and subsequently served to other users without proper sanitization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it compromises the integrity of the entire GroupWise web access environment. Attackers can leverage this weakness to escalate privileges, access confidential user data, manipulate directory entries, or establish persistent backdoors within the organization's communication infrastructure. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no special privileges beyond basic web access and can be executed through standard web browser interactions. This vulnerability directly violates security principles outlined in the CWE-79 category for cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, specifically addressing the failure to sanitize user input before incorporating it into web responses. The impact is further amplified by the fact that GroupWise serves as a corporate email and collaboration platform where users frequently access sensitive business information.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including input validation at multiple layers, output encoding for all dynamic content, and regular security updates to patch the identified flaw. The recommended approach involves implementing strict parameter validation for all directory-related inputs and ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly escaped or encoded before being rendered in web interfaces. Security measures should also include monitoring for suspicious directory queries and implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious input patterns. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input sanitization and output encoding practices as outlined in the mitre attack framework under techniques related to code injection and credential access. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies and regular security assessments to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other web applications.