CVE-2011-5142 in Open Business Management
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Open Business Management (OBM) 2.4.0-rc13 and probably earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) tf_delegation, (2) tf_ip, or (3) tf_name parameter in a search action to host/host_index.php; (4) login parameter to obm.php; or (5) tf_user parameter in a search action to group/group_index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2018
The CVE-2011-5142 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Open Business Management version 2.4.0-rc13 and potentially earlier releases. This vulnerability resides within the web application's input validation mechanisms, specifically targeting multiple parameters across different endpoints. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of victim browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized actions within the application's security context. The vulnerability affects core administrative functions and user management components, making it particularly dangerous for organizations relying on this business management platform.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input across several key parameters. The tf_delegation, tf_ip, and tf_name parameters in the host/host_index.php endpoint fail to properly validate or escape special characters, while the login parameter in obm.php and tf_user parameter in group/group_index.php exhibit similar weaknesses. These parameters receive input that directly influences the application's output without adequate encoding or filtering, creating persistent XSS vectors that can be exploited through carefully crafted malicious payloads. The vulnerability operates at the application layer, leveraging the trust relationship between the web application and its users to execute unauthorized code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to manipulate the application's behavior and compromise user sessions. An attacker could potentially steal authentication cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject persistent scripts that modify the application's interface and functionality. The vulnerability affects critical user management and system configuration functions, potentially enabling attackers to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to sensitive business data. Organizations using OBM 2.4.0-rc13 or earlier versions face significant risk of unauthorized access and data compromise, particularly in environments where administrative privileges are not properly segregated.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-5142 should prioritize immediate patching of affected OBM versions, with the implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations must ensure that all user-supplied parameters undergo strict sanitization before being processed or displayed, implementing context-specific encoding for HTML, JavaScript, and URL contexts. The recommended approach involves adopting a defense-in-depth strategy that includes parameter validation, secure coding practices, and regular security assessments. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a common attack vector categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script execution. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls and monitoring solutions to detect and prevent exploitation attempts while maintaining comprehensive logging of user activities and parameter inputs to support forensic analysis.