CVE-2012-1825 in CounterACT
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the status program on the ForeScout CounterACT appliance with software 6.3.3.2 through 6.3.4.10 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the loginname parameter in a forgotpass action or (2) the username parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2024
The CVE-2012-1825 vulnerability affects the ForeScout CounterACT appliance version 6.3.3.2 through 6.3.4.10, specifically targeting the status program component that handles user authentication and password recovery functionality. This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that exposes the system to remote code execution through malicious web script injection. The flaw exists within the application's input validation mechanisms, allowing attackers to manipulate the loginname and username parameters during the forgotpass action, thereby bypassing normal security controls and potentially compromising user sessions. The vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied input, which is a fundamental security principle that should be enforced at all layers of application processing.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through cross-site scripting attacks that leverage the web application's failure to properly validate and sanitize input parameters. When users submit requests containing malicious payloads through the loginname or username fields during password recovery operations, the system processes these inputs without adequate filtering or encoding, allowing arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code to be executed within the context of other users' browsers. This creates a persistent threat vector where attackers can execute malicious scripts in the victim's browser environment, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further exploitation of the compromised system. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and demonstrates a clear violation of secure coding practices, specifically addressing CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as a critical security weakness in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with the capability to manipulate user sessions and potentially gain unauthorized access to the ForeScout CounterACT management interface. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to impersonate legitimate users, access sensitive network monitoring data, or disrupt the appliance's normal operations. The affected version range suggests that organizations running these specific software versions are particularly vulnerable to coordinated attacks targeting network security infrastructure, which could severely compromise network security posture and expose critical assets to unauthorized access. This vulnerability represents a significant risk to organizations relying on ForeScout CounterACT for network access control and security monitoring, as it undermines the trust model of the authentication system and creates potential attack paths for lateral movement within the network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of affected ForeScout CounterACT appliances to the latest available software versions that contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities in custom applications, following established security frameworks such as the OWASP Top Ten and NIST guidelines for secure coding practices. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious authentication attempts and potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning of network infrastructure components, as well as implementing proper web application firewalls and security monitoring solutions that can detect and block malicious XSS payloads. Additionally, security teams should conduct regular training on secure coding practices and maintain up-to-date threat intelligence to identify and respond to similar vulnerabilities in other network security appliances and applications.