CVE-2012-0936 in OpenNMS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in web/springframework/security/SecurityAuthenticationEventOnmsEventBuilder.java in OpenNMS 1.8.x before 1.8.17, 1.9.93 and earlier, and 1.10.x before 1.10.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the Username field, related to login.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/14/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0936 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the OpenNMS monitoring platform, specifically affecting versions prior to the mentioned security patches. This vulnerability resides in the SecurityAuthenticationEventOnmsEventBuilder.java file within the web/springframework/security directory structure, making it a core component of the application's authentication and security event handling mechanisms. The flaw manifests when the system processes username inputs during login operations, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code into the application's response.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the authentication event building process. When users attempt to log in to the OpenNMS system, the username field is processed without proper sanitization of special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This primitive input handling allows attackers to craft malicious login attempts containing script tags or other malicious payloads that get executed in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability specifically targets the Username field during authentication events, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited during the very process of accessing the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it enables attackers to perform session hijacking, deface the application interface, or redirect users to malicious websites. An attacker could leverage this flaw to steal session cookies, escalate privileges, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability affects multiple version streams of OpenNMS, including the 1.8.x series before 1.8.17, 1.9.93 and earlier, and 1.10.x before 1.10.1, indicating a widespread exposure across the platform's release history. This cross-site scripting vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content, making it a significant threat vector for organizations relying on OpenNMS for network monitoring.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of the security patches released by OpenNMS developers for the affected versions, as well as comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. Organizations should implement proper HTML escaping for all user inputs, particularly those used in authentication contexts, and deploy web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious script injection attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input sanitization in security-critical components such as authentication systems, where even seemingly benign fields like username can become attack vectors if not properly secured. Regular security assessments and code reviews focusing on input handling in authentication flows should be implemented to prevent similar issues in future development cycles, ensuring that the principle of least privilege and defense in depth are maintained across all application components.