CVE-2014-0599 in Open Enterprise Server
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in iPrint in Novell Open Enterprise Server (OES) 11 SP1 before Maintenance Update 9151 on Linux allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2018
The CVE-2014-0599 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in Novell's iPrint component running on Novell Open Enterprise Server 11 SP1 before Maintenance Update 9151 on Linux platforms. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The iPrint service is designed to provide print management capabilities within enterprise environments, making it a critical component that requires robust security measures to prevent unauthorized access and script injection attacks. The vulnerability specifically affects the Linux implementation of Novell OES 11 SP1, highlighting the importance of maintaining current security patches for enterprise server software. This issue represents a significant risk to organizations relying on Novell's print management infrastructure, as it could potentially allow attackers to execute malicious code in the context of users' browsers, leading to data theft, session hijacking, or further system compromise.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through unspecified attack vectors within the iPrint service implementation, which suggests that the flaw exists in how the system processes user input or displays data within web interfaces. Attackers can leverage this weakness to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content that will execute in the browsers of unsuspecting users who interact with the affected iPrint service. The nature of XSS vulnerabilities means that the malicious code can be stored on the server or transmitted through user input fields, cookies, or URL parameters, making the attack surface potentially broad. This particular vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in web applications, as proper sanitization of user-provided data can prevent such injection attacks from succeeding. The unspecified vectors indicate that the flaw may be present in multiple components of the iPrint service, making it particularly dangerous as attackers could potentially identify various paths to exploit the vulnerability. Security researchers have noted that such vulnerabilities often arise from inadequate validation of user inputs or improper escaping of special characters when rendering content in web interfaces.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-0599 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can lead to severe consequences for enterprise security post-exploitation. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, deface web pages, or harvest sensitive information from authenticated users. The iPrint service's role in enterprise environments makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous, as it could be used to target administrators or other privileged users who have access to sensitive print queue configurations and user management features. Organizations may face regulatory compliance issues if user data is compromised through such attacks, especially in industries with strict data protection requirements. The vulnerability also represents a potential stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, as attackers can use the initial XSS payload to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within the affected environment. The long-term implications include potential damage to organizational reputation, loss of sensitive data, and increased security overhead as organizations must respond to the vulnerability through patching, monitoring, and incident response activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-0599 primarily focus on applying the vendor-supplied maintenance update 9151 for Novell Open Enterprise Server 11 SP1, which addresses the underlying XSS vulnerability in the iPrint component. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout their web applications, following established security practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and the ATT&CK framework's web application attack patterns. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of the iPrint service to untrusted networks, while regular security assessments and penetration testing can help identify similar vulnerabilities in other components. Additionally, organizations should deploy web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional layers of protection against script injection attacks. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing robust security monitoring procedures to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing user education programs to help identify suspicious web traffic or unexpected behavior that may indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should conduct regular vulnerability assessments to ensure that similar issues do not exist in other applications or services within their infrastructure, particularly focusing on components that handle user input or display dynamic content.