CVE-2012-1302 in amMap
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in amMap 2.6.3 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) data_file or (2) settings_file parameter to ammap.swf, or (3) the data_file parameter to amtimeline.swf.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/10/2022
The CVE-2012-1302 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting amMap 2.6.3, a popular Flash-based mapping component used in web applications for displaying geographic data. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the Flash application's parameter handling mechanisms, creating persistent security weaknesses that can be exploited by remote attackers to execute malicious code in the context of victim browsers. The flaw specifically impacts two primary components: ammap.swf and amtimeline.swf, both of which process external data files through configurable parameters that are not adequately protected against malicious input.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through three distinct attack vectors that all exploit the same underlying flaw in parameter validation. Attackers can manipulate the data_file parameter within ammap.swf to inject malicious scripts that execute when the Flash application loads external data files. Additionally, the settings_file parameter in ammap.swf presents another attack surface where malicious input can be injected to compromise the application's configuration handling. The third vector involves the data_file parameter in amtimeline.swf, which suffers from identical vulnerabilities. These attack paths directly correlate to CWE-79, which defines cross-site scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding. The vulnerability essentially allows attackers to inject arbitrary HTML content and JavaScript code that executes in the victim's browser context, bypassing standard security restrictions.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-1302 extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with persistent access to victim sessions and potentially sensitive data. When exploited successfully, these vulnerabilities enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even execute more sophisticated attacks through the compromised Flash application. The attack surface is particularly concerning because amMap components are widely deployed in enterprise environments, financial applications, and government portals where geographic data visualization is critical. The vulnerability's persistence stems from the fact that once an attacker successfully injects malicious code through any of the three parameter vectors, the malicious content remains embedded in the data files and executes every time the vulnerable application loads those files. This creates a long-term security risk that can affect numerous users over extended periods.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and sanitization of all external data sources, parameter encoding, and the implementation of content security policies to prevent script execution. The most effective defense involves updating to patched versions of amMap, as the vulnerability requires modifications to the Flash application's core parameter handling logic to address the root cause. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious parameter injections, while monitoring for unusual data file access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving command and control communication and credential access through web-based attacks. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of all Flash-based applications and implement proper input validation for all external data processing functions to prevent similar issues in other components. The vulnerability serves as a prime example of why proper input sanitization and the principle of least privilege are essential security practices in web application development.