CVE-2012-4003 in GLPI
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in GLPI-PROJECT GLPI before 0.83.3 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/14/2021
The CVE-2012-4003 vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in the GLPI project software, specifically affecting versions prior to 0.83.3. This vulnerability manifests as multiple cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that enable remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected web applications. The GLPI project is a widely-used IT asset management and help desk solution that organizations rely on for maintaining their IT infrastructure documentation and support operations. The vulnerability exists in the application's input validation mechanisms, failing to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web responses, thereby creating opportunities for attackers to inject malicious payloads that can persist and execute in users' browsers.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications. This classification indicates that the software fails to properly validate or escape user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. The vulnerability's impact stems from the application's insufficient sanitization of parameters and data fields that are processed and displayed within web interfaces, particularly in areas where user-provided information is stored and later retrieved. Attackers can exploit these vectors by crafting malicious input that, when processed by the application, gets executed in the browsers of other users who access the affected content. This allows for a range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious websites.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-4003 extends beyond simple data corruption or unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with the capability to establish persistent footholds within organizational networks that rely on GLPI for their IT management operations. When exploited, these vulnerabilities can compromise the integrity of the entire help desk and asset management system, potentially allowing attackers to access sensitive information about IT infrastructure, user credentials, and system configurations. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit these vulnerabilities from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the network or direct system compromise. Organizations using affected GLPI versions face significant risks including potential data breaches, unauthorized access to critical IT resources, and possible lateral movement within their network infrastructure through the exploitation of compromised user sessions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-4003 primarily involve immediate upgrading to GLPI version 0.83.3 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the XSS vulnerabilities. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all web application components, particularly those handling user input. Network security measures including web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection by monitoring for suspicious patterns and blocking known attack vectors. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify potential weaknesses in web applications and ensure that all software components remain up-to-date with the latest security patches. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059 technique for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically focusing on the use of web scripting languages as a method for executing malicious code within victim environments. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of inline scripts and prevent unauthorized code injection attempts.