CVE-2014-4165 in ntop
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in ntop allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the title parameter in a list action to plugins/rrdPlugin.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-4165 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the ntop network monitoring application that exposes users to significant security risks. This issue specifically affects the rrdPlugin component of ntop, which is designed to provide network traffic visualization through round-robin database files. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-supplied data within the title parameter of the list action, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts in the context of authenticated users' browsers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing script code within the title parameter and submits it through the plugins/rrdPlugin interface. When the vulnerable application processes this input without proper sanitization, the malicious script gets embedded into the web page response and subsequently executed by the victim's browser. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, where the application fails to validate or sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no privileged access to the ntop system itself, relying instead on social engineering or the exploitation of user trust to deliver malicious payloads.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information, redirect users to malicious sites, or even modify the application's functionality. Since ntop is commonly used for network monitoring and analysis, authenticated users who interact with the rrdPlugin interface become potential targets for these attacks. The vulnerability essentially undermines the integrity of the application's user interface and can compromise the confidentiality of network data that users expect to be protected. Attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent access to network monitoring systems, potentially gaining insights into network traffic patterns, user behaviors, and system configurations that would otherwise remain protected.
Organizations utilizing ntop should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in web interface components. The recommended approach involves implementing strict sanitization of all input data, including the title parameter, before processing or displaying any user-provided content. Additionally, developers should adopt Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit script execution capabilities and implement proper context-aware encoding for all dynamic content generation. Security measures should also include regular security assessments of web applications, input validation testing, and maintaining up-to-date software versions to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers Scripting through the execution of malicious scripts in web browsers, and represents a critical weakness that requires immediate attention to prevent potential compromise of network monitoring infrastructure.