CVE-2011-4275 in iTop
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in iTop (aka IT Operations Portal) 1.1.181 and 1.2.0-RC-282 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) a crafted company name, (2) a crafted database server name, (3) a crafted CSV file, (4) a crafted copy-and-paste action, (5) the auth_user parameter in a suggest_pwd action to UI.php, (6) the c[menu] parameter to UniversalSearch.php, (7) the description parameter in a SearchFormToAdd_document_list action to UI.php, (8) the category parameter in an errors action to audit.php, or (9) the suggest_pwd parameter to UI.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/26/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2011-4275 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in iTop (IT Operations Portal) versions 1.1.181 and 1.2.0-RC-282, demonstrating a classic input validation weakness that allows remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of victim sessions. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and operates as a server-side injection vulnerability where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages. The attack surface is particularly broad as it encompasses multiple entry points including company names, database server identifiers, CSV file imports, copy-paste operations, and various URL parameters, indicating a systemic lack of input sanitization across the application's data handling processes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the application's failure to properly escape or validate user input before rendering it in web contexts, creating opportunities for attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code through seemingly benign operations. When users interact with the application through the identified vectors such as the auth_user parameter in UI.php or the c[menu] parameter in UniversalSearch.php, the application processes these inputs without adequate sanitization, allowing attackers to craft payloads that execute in the victim's browser context. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can potentially enable session hijacking, data theft, and privilege escalation attacks, particularly when combined with other exploitation techniques.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using iTop for IT operations management, as it allows attackers to compromise user sessions and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive operational data. The attack vectors are particularly concerning because they include common user actions such as CSV file imports and copy-paste operations, which are routine activities in IT environments, making the attack surface easily accessible to threat actors. The vulnerability's presence in audit and search functions further amplifies the risk, as these components are frequently accessed during system monitoring and troubleshooting activities, potentially allowing attackers to exploit the flaw during normal operational hours.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, specifically the use of malicious file attachments and web-based attacks to gain initial access or escalate privileges within target environments. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-facing application components, particularly focusing on the identified parameters and data import functions. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching to address the underlying sanitization issues, implementation of Content Security Policy headers, and regular security assessments of input handling mechanisms. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious parameter patterns in web requests, and user education should emphasize the importance of validating data imports and avoiding untrusted copy-paste operations within the application environment.