CVE-2013-10074 in Nagios
Summary
by MITRE • 10/31/2025
Nagios XI versions prior to 2012R2.6 are vulnerable to cross-site scripting (XSS) via the Tools Menu of the web interface. Insufficient validation or escaping of user-supplied input may allow an attacker to inject and execute arbitrary script in the context of a victim's browser.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/17/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-10074 affects Nagios XI versions prior to 2012R2.6 and represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the web interface's Tools Menu functionality. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output escaping mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it within the browser context. The affected system components process user input through the Tools Menu interface without sufficient sanitization, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of authenticated users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows attackers to exploit the lack of proper input validation by submitting malicious payloads through the Tools Menu interface. When the system processes these inputs without adequate escaping or sanitization, the malicious scripts become embedded within the web page content and execute automatically when other users view the affected pages. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws where insufficient validation or escaping of user-supplied input creates opportunities for attackers to inject and execute arbitrary scripts. The vulnerability represents a classic case of improper input validation where the system fails to properly encode or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities through the compromised user sessions. An attacker could potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, modify page content, or even execute commands on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability particularly affects users who have administrative privileges within the Nagios XI environment, as the attack could potentially escalate to full system compromise. The threat landscape for this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering tactics through malicious web content, and T1059 which involves the execution of malicious code through browser-based attacks. The attack vector requires minimal privileges and can be executed through simple web-based input manipulation, making it particularly dangerous for monitoring environments where administrators frequently access the web interface.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the Nagios XI system to version 2012R2.6 or later, which contains the necessary input validation and output escaping fixes. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures including web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious input patterns, regular security audits of web interfaces, and comprehensive user education about the risks of clicking on suspicious links or entering untrusted data into web forms. Network segmentation and least privilege access controls can help limit the potential impact if an attacker successfully exploits the vulnerability. The remediation process should include thorough testing of the patched system to ensure that all input validation mechanisms function correctly and that no regressions have been introduced in the system's functionality.