CVE-2014-3491 in Foreman
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Foreman before 1.4.5 and 1.5.x before 1.5.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the Name field to the New Host groups page, related to create, update, and destroy notification boxes.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/24/2022
The CVE-2014-3491 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the Foreman systems management platform that affected versions prior to 1.4.5 and 1.5.x prior to 1.5.1. This vulnerability resides in the handling of user input within the Name field of the New Host groups page, where malicious actors could inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code. The flaw specifically impacts the notification boxes associated with create, update, and destroy operations, creating a persistent vector for malicious code execution. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Foreman application's user interface components, particularly in how the system processes and displays user-supplied data in host group management contexts.
This XSS vulnerability operates through a classic client-side attack vector where an attacker crafts malicious input containing script tags or other HTML elements in the Name field during host group creation or modification processes. When the vulnerable system displays this input in notification boxes without proper sanitization, the embedded malicious code executes in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected pages. The attack requires no privileged access and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where system administrators and other users interact with the Foreman interface. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of host group management, which is fundamental to systems administration and configuration management within the Foreman platform.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the Foreman environment. An attacker could potentially create persistent XSS payloads that remain active in notification boxes, affecting all users who interact with the vulnerable system. The vulnerability particularly impacts organizations relying on Foreman for large-scale infrastructure management, where host groups represent critical organizational units for system configuration and deployment. The attack surface is amplified when considering that notification boxes are frequently accessed by system administrators, making this a high-value target for attackers seeking to compromise administrative sessions and gain deeper access to enterprise infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-3491 should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding across all user-facing fields within the Foreman application, particularly in notification and management interfaces. Organizations should immediately upgrade to Foreman versions 1.4.5 or 1.5.1 and later, which contain the necessary patches addressing this vulnerability. The remediation process should include comprehensive input sanitization of all user-supplied data, implementing Content Security Policy headers, and ensuring proper HTML escaping in all notification displays. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as a fundamental weakness in input validation and output encoding. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for script injection techniques and T1566 for social engineering via malicious notifications, emphasizing the importance of robust application security controls and user education to prevent exploitation of such client-side vulnerabilities in enterprise systems management platforms.