CVE-2013-2364 in System Management Homepage
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in HP System Management Homepage (SMH) before 7.2.1 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2364 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within HP System Management Homepage version 7.2.0 and earlier releases. This security weakness affects the management interface used for monitoring and controlling hp system components, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on this platform for their infrastructure management. The vulnerability specifically impacts the web-based administrative interface that system administrators use to configure and monitor server hardware, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit the management plane.
The technical nature of this flaw stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the HP SMH web application. Attackers with valid authentication credentials can leverage this vulnerability to inject malicious scripts or HTML content into the application's response handling mechanisms. These unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability may exist across multiple input points within the web interface, potentially including form fields, URL parameters, or API endpoints that process user-supplied data without proper sanitization. The flaw allows authenticated users to execute arbitrary code within the context of other users' sessions, creating a persistent threat vector that could be exploited for session hijacking, data theft, or further system compromise.
From an operational perspective, the impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection as it enables attackers to manipulate the management interface itself. This creates opportunities for privilege escalation, data exfiltration, and system disruption within the organization's infrastructure management environment. The authenticated nature of the attack means that attackers would need valid credentials, but this requirement does not significantly reduce the risk since system administrators often use privileged accounts with broad access rights. Organizations may face significant operational disruption if attackers successfully exploit this vulnerability, particularly in environments where the SMH interface serves as the primary management point for critical infrastructure components.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding. This classification indicates that the root cause lies in the application's failure to properly sanitize user-provided data before rendering it in web responses. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command and control through web shells and T1566 for credential access through phishing or compromised administrative accounts. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including patching to version 7.2.1 or later, implementing additional input validation measures, and monitoring for suspicious activity within the management interface.
Security teams should prioritize this vulnerability in their remediation efforts due to its potential for enabling broader attacks against the organization's infrastructure. The combination of authenticated access requirements with the ability to inject malicious scripts creates a dangerous threat vector that could be exploited by both external attackers and compromised insiders. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit access to the SMH interface, enforcing strict access controls, and conducting regular security assessments of their management interfaces. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing robust input validation across all web applications, particularly those with administrative privileges and access to critical infrastructure components.