CVE-2011-2919 in Spacewalk
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Spacewalk 1.6, as used in Red Hat Network (RHN) Satellite, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the QueryString to the SystemGroupList.do page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/01/2022
The CVE-2011-2919 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in Spacewalk 1.6, which was subsequently integrated into Red Hat Network Satellite systems. This vulnerability resides within the web application layer of the system management platform, specifically manifesting in the SystemGroupList.do page that processes user input through query string parameters. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious URLs containing script payloads in the query string, which then get executed in the context of other users' browsers when they access the affected page. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic lack of proper security controls in web application development, where user input is treated as trusted rather than being rigorously validated and escaped before presentation.
The technical exploitation of this XSS vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of HTTP query parameters that are processed by the SystemGroupList.do servlet. When a user navigates to a specially crafted URL containing malicious script code within the query string, the application fails to properly encode or filter this input before rendering it in the web page's HTML output. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary JavaScript code that executes in the victim's browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability affects the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the RHN Satellite platform, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to perform actions on behalf of legitimate users. The flaw operates at the application layer and requires no special privileges or authentication to exploit, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrators and regular users access the same management interface.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2919 extends beyond simple script injection, as it compromises the integrity and confidentiality of the entire Spacewalk management platform. Organizations using Red Hat Network Satellite systems become vulnerable to persistent security threats where attackers can establish backdoors through stored XSS payloads, monitor user activities, steal session cookies, or modify system configurations. The vulnerability undermines the trust model of the platform, as users cannot be certain that the content they view in the system is legitimate. Additionally, the impact cascades to other security controls since compromised user sessions could provide attackers with elevated privileges within the satellite environment. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as a common web application security weakness, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection attacks. The vulnerability also reflects poor input validation practices and violates security best practices for web application development.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-2919 require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the Spacewalk application. Organizations should implement comprehensive parameter validation that filters or rejects suspicious characters and patterns commonly associated with XSS attacks. The system should employ context-aware output encoding that properly escapes HTML, JavaScript, and URL characters before rendering user-supplied content. Regular security updates and patches from Red Hat should be applied immediately to address the vulnerability, as the vendor likely released remediation measures in subsequent versions. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth, though they should not be considered a complete solution. Security awareness training for administrators and developers is essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future code development cycles. The remediation process should include thorough code review of all web application components that handle user input, implementing secure coding practices that align with OWASP Top Ten recommendations and NIST cybersecurity guidelines. Organizations should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in their system management infrastructure.