CVE-2014-3473 in Horizon
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Orchestration/Stack section in the Horizon Orchestration dashboard in OpenStack Dashboard (Horizon) before 2013.2.4, 2014.1 before 2014.1.2, and Juno before Juno-2, when used with Heat, allows remote Orchestration template owners or catalogs to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted template.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2022
The CVE-2014-3473 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the OpenStack Horizon dashboard's Orchestration/Stack functionality. This vulnerability specifically affects the Heat service integration within Horizon, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code through crafted orchestration templates. The flaw exists in multiple versions of OpenStack Dashboard, including releases before 2013.2.4, 2014.1 before 2014.1.2, and Juno before Juno-2, indicating a prolonged period during which this security weakness remained unaddressed. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning because it targets the core orchestration capabilities that administrators and users rely upon for cloud infrastructure management, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise cloud environments.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the Horizon dashboard's template processing mechanisms. When users or administrators upload or view orchestration templates through the Heat service interface, the system fails to properly sanitize template content before rendering it in web pages. This insufficient sanitization allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers, leveraging the trust relationship between the browser and the Horizon application. The vulnerability specifically affects the template owner or catalog management functionality, where template metadata and content are displayed, creating an attack surface where malicious payloads can be embedded within template parameters, descriptions, or other user-controllable fields. This flaw operates at the application layer and directly violates secure coding principles that mandate proper input validation and output encoding to prevent XSS attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-3473 extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling sophisticated attack vectors that can compromise entire cloud environments. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject persistent XSS payloads that remain active until the affected templates are removed or the system is patched. The vulnerability's exploitation risk is elevated because it affects template owners who may not be security-aware, allowing them to unknowingly introduce malicious code into templates that are then executed when other users view or interact with those templates. This creates a particularly dangerous scenario where legitimate users become unwitting participants in cross-site scripting attacks, potentially leading to privilege escalation, data exfiltration, or complete system compromise. The vulnerability directly aligns with CWE-79, which identifies Cross-site Scripting as a fundamental weakness in web applications, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059.006 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically web shell execution through XSS.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected OpenStack versions to the recommended secure releases, as well as implementation of additional defensive measures. Organizations should ensure all Horizon installations are updated to versions that include proper input sanitization and output encoding for template content. The security community recommends implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection, alongside regular security audits of uploaded templates. Administrators should implement strict template validation processes and consider using automated scanning tools to identify potentially malicious content within orchestration templates. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring should be employed to detect suspicious template upload activities, as this vulnerability can be exploited through legitimate user accounts with template management privileges. The remediation process must also include comprehensive security training for users who manage orchestration templates, emphasizing the importance of template content verification and the potential risks associated with third-party template sources.