CVE-2012-4740 in PacketFence
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the captive portal in PacketFence before 3.3.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/20/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4740 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the captive portal functionality of PacketFence network access control software. This issue affects versions prior to 3.3.0 and exposes organizations to significant security risks through unauthorized code execution within web browsers of authenticated users. The captive portal feature is commonly deployed in network environments to manage user authentication and access control, typically requiring users to log in before gaining network access. When compromised through this XSS vulnerability, the system becomes a vector for malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content directly into user sessions, potentially leading to complete session hijacking and unauthorized access to sensitive network resources.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the captive portal's web interface components. Attackers can exploit unspecified vectors to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of authenticated users' browsers, leveraging the trust relationship between the user and the captive portal system. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a reflected XSS attack pattern where malicious input is immediately reflected back to the user without proper sanitization. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the captive portal's role as an intermediary in network authentication processes, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit user sessions and escalate privileges within the network infrastructure.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability extend beyond simple script injection, creating potential pathways for more sophisticated attacks within the network environment. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or inject additional malicious payloads that persist across user sessions. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on PacketFence for network access control, as it undermines the fundamental security assumptions of the captive portal authentication mechanism. Network administrators who depend on this system for user management and access control face significant risks, including unauthorized network access, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access to the network or local system privileges to leverage the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-4740 should prioritize immediate patching of affected PacketFence installations to version 3.3.0 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the XSS vulnerability. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures including strict input validation, output encoding, and content security policies to reduce the impact of potential exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous behavior indicative of XSS attacks, while regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other network management systems. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059.007 technique for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript" and T1566.002 for "Phishing: Spearphishing Attachments," highlighting the need for comprehensive security controls that address both the technical flaw and potential attack vectors that could exploit it. Regular security awareness training for network administrators and users should emphasize the importance of recognizing and reporting suspicious web content that could indicate XSS attack attempts.