CVE-2011-4346 in Network Satellite
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the web interface in Red Hat Network (RHN) Satellite 5.4.1 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the Description field of the asset tag in a Custom Info page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/28/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2011-4346 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the Red Hat Network Satellite 5.4.1 web interface. This issue specifically affects the asset tag functionality where users can define custom information pages containing asset descriptions. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the web application's handling of user-supplied data in the Description field of custom asset tags.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when authenticated users with appropriate privileges create or modify asset tags through the web interface. When these maliciously crafted descriptions containing embedded script code are rendered in the web browser, the scripts execute within the context of the victim user's session. This presents a significant security risk as it allows attackers to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, or perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability is classified as a persistent XSS attack since the malicious content is stored on the server and executed whenever the affected page is accessed by other users.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability undermines the integrity of the Red Hat Network Satellite environment by potentially allowing attackers to compromise the web interface and gain unauthorized access to system management functionalities. The authenticated nature of the exploit means that attackers must already have legitimate user credentials, but once exploited, they can leverage the XSS vulnerability to escalate their privileges or access sensitive system information. The affected environment becomes vulnerable to session hijacking attacks where malicious scripts can capture cookies or perform actions that the authenticated user is authorized to perform, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and demonstrates how inadequate input validation can lead to serious security consequences. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1531 for implantation of malicious code through web interfaces. Organizations using Red Hat Network Satellite 5.4.1 should implement immediate mitigations including input sanitization of all user-supplied data, output encoding of dynamic content, and regular security updates to address this vulnerability. The recommended approach includes implementing strict content security policies, validating and sanitizing all input fields, and ensuring proper output encoding for all dynamic content rendered in web interfaces to prevent script execution in user contexts.