CVE-2014-1472 in Vulnerability Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the Enterprise Manager in McAfee Vulnerability Manager (MVM) 7.5.5 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/09/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-1472 represents a critical security flaw within McAfee Vulnerability Manager's Enterprise Manager component, specifically affecting versions 7.5.5 and earlier. This issue manifests as multiple cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that create opportunities for remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected systems. The vulnerability resides within the Enterprise Manager interface, which serves as the primary administrative control point for managing vulnerability assessments and security configurations across enterprise environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Enterprise Manager's web interface. Attackers can exploit these weaknesses through unspecified vectors that likely involve manipulation of user-supplied data fields, form inputs, or parameter values passed to the vulnerable application. The lack of comprehensive sanitization processes allows malicious payloads to be stored or executed in contexts where user interactions occur, effectively bypassing standard security boundaries. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly encode or escape user-controllable data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-1472 extends beyond simple data theft or display manipulation, as it provides attackers with potential pathways to escalate privileges and compromise entire enterprise security infrastructures. Once exploited, these vulnerabilities could enable attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of authenticated users' sessions, potentially leading to full system compromise or unauthorized access to sensitive vulnerability assessment data. The implications are particularly severe for organizations relying on McAfee Vulnerability Manager for critical security operations, as successful exploitation could allow adversaries to manipulate vulnerability scan results, gain unauthorized access to security configurations, or redirect users to malicious sites that could further compromise their systems.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of McAfee Vulnerability Manager, applying the vendor-supplied security patches, and implementing additional network-level protections such as web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious script injection attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in web applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 - Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, which emphasizes the need for robust defenses against malicious script delivery mechanisms. Security teams should also consider implementing comprehensive monitoring for unusual user behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while ensuring proper access controls and session management practices are in place to limit the potential impact of successful attacks.