CVE-2014-100034 in ArcticDesk
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the frontend interface in LicensePal ArcticDesk before 1.2.5 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/04/2018
The CVE-2014-100034 vulnerability represents a cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the frontend interface of LicensePal ArcticDesk software prior to version 1.2.5. This vulnerability classifies under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting attacks where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web page content without proper sanitization or encoding. The affected system allows remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code through unspecified vectors within the application's user interface, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this software for license management and customer support operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the ArcticDesk frontend components. When users interact with the application's interface, particularly when entering or viewing data that should be treated as user input, the system fails to properly sanitize or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This weakness enables attackers to inject malicious payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further exploitation of the compromised systems. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple input points within the frontend interface may be susceptible to this attack, making the vulnerability particularly concerning from a security assessment perspective.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption or display issues, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity of user sessions and potentially exposes sensitive information within the license management system. Organizations utilizing ArcticDesk for customer support ticketing and license tracking could face serious consequences including unauthorized access to customer data, manipulation of license information, or complete compromise of user sessions. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject persistent malware into the application environment. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors do not require physical access to the system or insider knowledge to exploit this weakness, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where multiple users interact with the platform daily.
Organizations should immediately implement the vendor-provided patch for ArcticDesk version 1.2.5 or later to address this vulnerability, as it represents a critical security risk that could be exploited by threat actors without significant technical expertise. Additional mitigations include implementing proper input validation at all user-facing interfaces, enabling Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution, and conducting regular security assessments of web applications. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving command and control through web interfaces and session hijacking, potentially enabling later stages of an attack such as privilege escalation or lateral movement within the network. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious script injection patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper output encoding and input sanitization practices as outlined in OWASP top ten security controls, emphasizing that frontend security is as critical as backend system integrity.