CVE-2013-2136 in CloudStack
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Apache CloudStack before 4.1.1 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) Physical network name to the Zone wizard; (2) New network name, (3) instance name, or (4) group to the Instance wizard; (5) unspecified "multi-edit fields;" and (6) unspecified "list view" edit fields related to global settings.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/01/2019
Apache CloudStack version 4.1.1 and earlier contains multiple cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that represent significant security weaknesses in the cloud infrastructure management platform. These vulnerabilities arise from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the web interface components that handle user-provided data. The affected parameters include critical administrative fields such as physical network names in the Zone wizard, new network names, instance names, and group names in the Instance wizard, as well as unspecified multi-edit fields and list view edit fields used for global settings configuration.
The technical flaw manifests through improper sanitization of user inputs that are subsequently rendered in web pages without adequate encoding or filtering. When administrators or users provide input containing malicious script code through these vulnerable fields, the application fails to properly escape or validate the content before displaying it in the browser context. This creates persistent XSS opportunities where attackers can execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of authenticated users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further exploitation of the cloud environment.
The operational impact of these vulnerabilities extends beyond simple script injection, as they can be leveraged by remote attackers to compromise the entire CloudStack management interface. Attackers can exploit these flaws to manipulate administrative functions, access sensitive configuration data, or establish persistent backdoors within the cloud infrastructure. The vulnerabilities affect both standard user interactions and administrative workflows, making them particularly dangerous in multi-tenant cloud environments where multiple users interact with the same management interface. The presence of XSS vulnerabilities in global settings list views and multi-edit fields suggests that the attack surface encompasses critical system configuration parameters that could lead to privilege escalation or complete system compromise.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's web interface. Organizations should immediately upgrade to Apache CloudStack version 4.1.1 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address these vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing proper content security policies, input sanitization libraries, and regular security testing of web applications can help prevent similar issues in the future. The vulnerabilities align with CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting) and represent techniques commonly associated with attack vectors in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the Execution and Persistence domains, particularly when considering the potential for attackers to establish persistent access through compromised management interfaces.