CVE-2013-1823 in Subscription Asset Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Notifications form in Red Hat Subscription Asset Manager before 1.2.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the username field.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1823 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Red Hat Subscription Asset Manager platform, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.2.1. This issue resides in the Notifications form component where user input is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered back to users. The vulnerability manifests when attackers exploit the username field to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content, creating a persistent threat vector that can compromise user sessions and data integrity.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows standard XSS attack patterns where malicious input is stored on the server and subsequently delivered to other users without proper sanitization. The username field serves as the primary injection point, allowing attackers to craft payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation and output encoding practices that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information, manipulate user interface elements, or redirect users to malicious sites. Users interacting with the Subscription Asset Manager could unknowingly execute malicious code when viewing notifications or user lists, potentially compromising their system access and data confidentiality. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on Red Hat Subscription Asset Manager for software asset management, as it undermines the trust model of the application and creates opportunities for broader security breaches.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to Red Hat Subscription Asset Manager version 1.2.1 or later to remediate this vulnerability, as this release includes proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Additional mitigations include implementing proper content security policies, deploying web application firewalls, and conducting regular security assessments of the application's input handling mechanisms. Security teams should also consider implementing automated monitoring for suspicious input patterns and establish incident response procedures for potential XSS exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in preventing web-based attacks, particularly in enterprise asset management systems where user trust and data integrity are paramount.