CVE-2014-3779 in ADSelfService Plus
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in ZOHO ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus before 5.2 Build 5202 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the name parameter to GroupSubscription.do.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/13/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3779 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within ZOHO ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus software prior to version 5.2 Build 5202. This security weakness resides in the GroupSubscription.do web application endpoint where the name parameter fails to properly sanitize user input, creating an exploitable condition that enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code into the application's response. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities, making it a direct descendant of the well-known OWASP Top Ten security risks.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurs when the application processes the name parameter submitted through the GroupSubscription.do endpoint without adequate input validation or output encoding mechanisms. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that, when processed by the vulnerable application, get executed in the context of other users' browsers who subsequently access the affected functionality. This type of vulnerability enables attackers to perform session hijacking, deface web interfaces, steal sensitive information, or redirect users to malicious websites. The exploit requires minimal privileges as it operates entirely through web-based interactions without requiring authentication or privileged access to the underlying system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially allowing attackers to compromise the entire user session and access sensitive organizational data managed through the ADSelfService Plus platform. Given that this software typically handles user authentication and identity management functions, successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to user accounts, privilege escalation opportunities, and potential lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability affects organizations using vulnerable versions of the software, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where user account management and self-service password reset functionalities are critical components of security infrastructure. This type of attack vector directly correlates with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically targeting web applications.
Organizations should immediately implement the vendor-provided patch for ADSelfService Plus version 5.2 Build 5202 or later to remediate this vulnerability. Additional mitigations include implementing proper input validation controls, output encoding for all user-supplied data, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of all web applications to identify similar input validation weaknesses and establish robust security monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include thorough testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce compatibility issues with existing organizational workflows while maintaining the security posture against similar attack vectors.