CVE-2012-1511 in View
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in View Manager Portal in VMware View before 4.6.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/25/2018
The CVE-2012-1511 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in VMware View Manager Portal versions prior to 4.6.1. This vulnerability resides within the web application's input validation mechanisms, specifically in how the system processes and renders user-supplied URL parameters. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of a victim's browser session, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data or system compromise. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content, making it a classic example of an XSS attack vector that exploits the trust relationship between the web application and the user's browser.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing embedded script code that gets processed by the vulnerable View Manager Portal. When a victim clicks on such a crafted link, the malicious script executes within the victim's browser context, potentially stealing session cookies, redirecting to malicious sites, or performing actions on behalf of the authenticated user. The vulnerability specifically affects the portal's handling of URL parameters without proper sanitization or encoding, allowing attackers to inject HTML tags and JavaScript code that persist in the application's response. This flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting languages and T1566.001 for spearphishing attachments, as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to deliver malicious payloads through crafted web links.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-1511 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges within the VMware View environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially access other users' sessions, modify configuration settings, or gain unauthorized access to virtual desktop environments managed by the vulnerable portal. The attack surface is particularly concerning for enterprise environments that rely on VMware View for remote desktop virtualization, as it could allow lateral movement within the network once initial access is gained. Organizations using older versions of VMware View face significant risk of credential theft, session hijacking, and potential data exfiltration through this XSS vector. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-79 highlights the fundamental security principle that all user input must be properly validated and escaped before being rendered in web contexts, as failure to do so creates persistent attack surfaces that can be exploited by sophisticated adversaries.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate patching of VMware View Manager Portal to version 4.6.1 or later, which addresses the input validation deficiencies that enable the XSS attack. Organizations should implement comprehensive web application firewall rules to detect and block suspicious URL patterns, particularly those containing common XSS payload indicators such as script tags or javascript protocols. Input validation should be strengthened at multiple levels including client-side and server-side sanitization, with all user-supplied data being properly encoded before inclusion in web responses. Network segmentation and privilege separation can help limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs, while regular security assessments should verify that no other similar vulnerabilities exist within the broader VMware infrastructure. The remediation process should also include user education about recognizing suspicious links and implementing proper access controls to minimize the damage potential from successful exploitation attempts.