CVE-2011-4054 in SiteMinder
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in login.fcc in CA SiteMinder R6 SP6 before CR7 and R12 SP3 before CR8 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the postpreservationdata parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/06/2024
The CVE-2011-4054 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in CA SiteMinder's login.fcc component, affecting versions prior to specific service packs and cumulative releases. This vulnerability resides within the authentication framework of SiteMinder, a widely deployed web application security platform that controls access to enterprise web applications. The flaw specifically targets the postpreservationdata parameter, which is utilized during the authentication process to maintain state information between requests. This parameter is designed to preserve user session data and authentication context, but fails to properly sanitize input values before processing them within the web response.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the SiteMinder login handler. When attackers submit malicious payloads through the postpreservationdata parameter, the system fails to adequately escape or filter special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content that gets executed within the context of authenticated users' browsers. The vulnerability exists at the application layer and specifically affects the authentication flow, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by both unauthenticated attackers and those with minimal privileges within the system. The flaw is classified under CWE-79 as "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')", which is a fundamental web security weakness that has been consistently identified as one of the most prevalent and dangerous vulnerabilities in web applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-4054 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute malicious code within the browser context of legitimate users. This can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and the potential for privilege escalation within the application environment. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal user sessions, redirect users to malicious websites, or inject malicious content that persists across user sessions. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations using CA SiteMinder for web application security, which often includes financial institutions, government agencies, and enterprises with sensitive data environments. Given that SiteMinder is typically deployed as a central authentication and authorization platform, exploitation of this vulnerability could compromise multiple applications and systems that rely on the platform for access control.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates for CA SiteMinder R6 SP6 CR7 and R12 SP3 CR8, which address the input validation issues in the login.fcc component. Additionally, implementing proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms within the application layer can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited. Security measures should include web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious payloads targeting the postpreservationdata parameter, as well as comprehensive monitoring of authentication logs for unusual patterns. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for "Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment" and T1071.001 for "Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols", as attackers may use this vulnerability to deliver malicious payloads through compromised authentication flows. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of inline scripts and reduce the impact of potential XSS exploits. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar input validation flaws in other components of the SiteMinder platform and related web applications.