CVE-2014-3885 in Webmin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Webmin before 1.690 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors. NOTE: this might overlap CVE-2014-3924.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/21/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3885 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the Webmin administrative interface version 1.690 and earlier. This issue affects the web-based system management tool that provides a graphical interface for configuring and managing various server components including user accounts, network settings, and system services. The vulnerability specifically impacts authenticated users who can leverage this weakness to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers, creating a significant security risk for system administrators who rely on Webmin for their daily operations.
The technical flaw manifests through unspecified vectors that allow attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML code into the Webmin interface. This occurs because the application fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it within web pages, creating an environment where malicious payloads can be executed when other users view affected pages. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only authentication to exploit, meaning that an attacker who has gained access to legitimate user credentials can immediately leverage this weakness without requiring additional attack vectors or complex exploitation techniques.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations using Webmin as their primary administrative interface. When exploited, the XSS vulnerability can enable attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users, redirect victims to malicious websites, or even execute arbitrary commands on the underlying system if the attacker can manipulate the victim's session. The attack surface is broad since Webmin is commonly used across various server environments including web servers, database servers, and network infrastructure management platforms. This vulnerability essentially undermines the trust model that authenticated access should provide, as legitimate users can be compromised through script injection attacks.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications. It also maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content and T1078 for valid accounts as a means of establishing persistence. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Webmin version 1.690 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Additional protective measures include implementing content security policies, conducting regular security audits of web applications, and establishing robust input validation mechanisms. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should also be deployed to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts, while user education regarding phishing and social engineering attacks remains crucial for overall security posture improvement.