CVE-2014-3922 in Interscan Messaging Security Virtual Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Trend Micro InterScan Messaging Security Virtual Appliance 8.5.1.1516 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the addWhiteListDomainStr parameter to addWhiteListDomain.imss.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/02/2019
The CVE-2014-3922 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in Trend Micro InterScan Messaging Security Virtual Appliance version 8.5.1.1516, classified under CWE-79 as Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation. This vulnerability specifically affects the web interface of the messaging security appliance, which is designed to protect organizations from email-based threats including spam, malware, and phishing attacks. The flaw exists within the addWhiteListDomain.imss component that processes user input for domain whitelisting functionality, creating an attack vector that can be exploited by authenticated users with appropriate privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the web application's parameter handling mechanism. When an authenticated user submits malicious input through the addWhiteListDomainStr parameter, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape the input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary JavaScript code or HTML fragments that execute in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected web pages. The vulnerability specifically targets the whitelist domain management functionality, which is commonly used by administrators to permit specific email domains through security filters.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be leveraged to perform various malicious activities within the targeted environment. An authenticated attacker could potentially redirect users to malicious websites, steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims, or even escalate privileges within the appliance's administrative interface. The attack requires only authentication to the appliance, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by insiders or compromised accounts. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript and T1566 for Phishing, as it enables the delivery of malicious scripts to end users through email security controls.
Organizations deploying Trend Micro InterScan Messaging Security Virtual Appliance are strongly advised to implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor's security patches, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the appliance's administrative interface, and conducting thorough audit of user permissions to minimize the attack surface. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in web applications and highlights the necessity of following secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top Ten and NIST Cybersecurity Framework guidelines. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious parameter submissions to detect potential exploitation attempts.