CVE-2013-5094 in Vulnerability Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.exp in McAfee Vulnerability Manager 7.5 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the cert_cn cookie parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2024
The CVE-2013-5094 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in McAfee Vulnerability Manager version 7.5 that exposes organizations to significant web application security risks. This vulnerability specifically affects the index.exp component within the application's cookie handling mechanism, creating an attack vector that allows remote threat actors to execute malicious scripts within the context of authenticated user sessions. The flaw resides in how the application processes the cert_cn cookie parameter, which is typically used to store certificate common name information during secure communications. When this parameter contains unvalidated user input, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape the data before rendering it in web responses, creating a persistent XSS vulnerability that can be exploited across multiple user sessions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a classic XSS attack pattern where malicious input is injected through the cert_cn cookie parameter and subsequently rendered in web pages without proper input validation or output encoding. Attackers can craft malicious cookie values containing script tags or other HTML content that gets executed when the vulnerable application processes the request and displays the certificate information in user interfaces. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-site Scripting flaws in web applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Initial Access through spearphishing attachments or links. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable session hijacking, credential theft, and privilege escalation attacks when combined with other exploitation techniques.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-5094 within enterprise environments using McAfee Vulnerability Manager 7.5 can be severe, particularly in organizations where security teams rely on the application for vulnerability assessment and management. When exploited, this vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate the application's behavior and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive security data, including vulnerability scan results, system configurations, and network asset inventories. The vulnerability affects the application's integrity and confidentiality properties, as malicious actors can inject content that modifies the application's user interface or redirects users to malicious sites. Organizations may experience unauthorized access to security monitoring data, potential data exfiltration, and compromised trust in the vulnerability management system's reported findings. The vulnerability also impacts the application's availability as attackers could potentially disrupt normal operations through malicious script injection that affects user sessions and application functionality.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-5094 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected McAfee Vulnerability Manager 7.5 installation to address the root cause of the XSS vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities in custom web applications, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being processed or displayed. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional protection layers, while regular security assessments should include thorough input validation testing to identify potential XSS vulnerabilities in other components. Security teams should also implement monitoring solutions to detect suspicious cookie parameter values and establish incident response procedures for handling XSS-related security events. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that protect against multiple attack vectors. Organizations should consider implementing Content Security Policy headers and regular security training for developers to prevent similar issues in custom applications, while also ensuring that all third-party applications undergo thorough security assessments before deployment in production environments.