CVE-2014-5466 in Splunk
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Dashboard in Splunk Web in Splunk Enterprise 6.1.x before 6.1.4, 6.0.x before 6.0.7, and 5.0.x before 5.0.10 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2022
The CVE-2014-5466 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Splunk Enterprise's web interface, specifically affecting the Dashboard component. This vulnerability exists in multiple versions of Splunk Enterprise including 6.1.x prior to 6.1.4, 6.0.x prior to 6.0.7, and 5.0.x prior to 5.0.10, making it a widespread issue across several major releases of the security information and event management platform. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it resides in the core web interface that administrators and users interact with regularly, providing a direct pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system through web-based attacks.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the Dashboard functionality of Splunk Web. Attackers can leverage this flaw by injecting malicious web script or HTML code through unspecified vectors that bypass the application's security controls. The vulnerability does not require authentication to exploit, meaning that any remote attacker can potentially leverage this weakness without needing valid credentials. This characteristic significantly amplifies the risk as it allows for widespread exploitation across network environments where Splunk is deployed. The flaw operates at the application layer, specifically targeting the web interface's handling of user-supplied data within dashboard components, which are commonly used for monitoring and reporting security events.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-5466 is substantial and multifaceted within enterprise security environments. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code in the context of a victim's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability could be particularly dangerous in security monitoring contexts where Splunk is used to track and analyze security events, as attackers could manipulate dashboard displays to hide malicious activities or inject false data that would compromise security analytics. Organizations relying on Splunk for critical security operations could experience significant disruption to their monitoring capabilities, with the potential for attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive security data or manipulate dashboards to obscure threats. The vulnerability also poses risks to user privacy and data integrity, as malicious scripts could capture user credentials or exfiltrate sensitive information from the browser environment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-5466 primarily focus on immediate patching of affected Splunk Enterprise versions to the recommended secure releases. Organizations should prioritize updating their Splunk installations to versions 6.1.4, 6.0.7, or 5.0.10 respectively, depending on their current deployment version. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and input validation controls can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. Security teams should conduct thorough assessments of their Splunk environments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and monitor for suspicious activities in dashboard usage patterns. Network segmentation and access controls should be reviewed to limit potential attack vectors, while regular security audits of web applications should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script execution, highlighting the need for comprehensive application security measures. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies and regular security training for administrators to recognize and respond to potential exploitation attempts effectively.