CVE-2014-8247 in Release Automation
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in CA Release Automation (formerly iTKO LISA Release Automation) before 4.7.1 b448 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2024
The CVE-2014-8247 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in CA Release Automation, formerly known as iTKO LISA Release Automation, affecting versions prior to 4.7.1 build 448. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content into the application's web interface, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity. The unspecified attack vectors suggest that the flaw could be exploited through multiple entry points within the application's web interface, making it particularly concerning from a security perspective.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the CA Release Automation platform. When users interact with the application's web interface, the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in the browser context. This allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that, when executed, can perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or local network privileges to exploit the flaw. The attack surface is broad as it affects the entire web interface of the application, potentially impacting various components including user authentication, configuration settings, and deployment workflows.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable more sophisticated attacks such as session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. Attackers could leverage the XSS flaw to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or inject malicious content that could compromise the integrity of the release automation processes. Given that CA Release Automation is designed for enterprise deployment and release management, the exploitation of this vulnerability could disrupt critical business operations and potentially lead to unauthorized code deployments or system modifications. The vulnerability's presence in a release automation tool is particularly concerning as it could be used to compromise the software supply chain by injecting malicious code into the deployment pipeline.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the vendor-provided patch version 4.7.1 build 448 or later, which addresses the XSS vulnerability through proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Additionally, network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection by monitoring and filtering suspicious traffic patterns. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can further reduce the impact of potential XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be executed within the application context. Security teams should also conduct thorough penetration testing and vulnerability assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and ensure that the patch has been properly applied across all instances of the application. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, highlighting the need for comprehensive application security controls and regular security updates to maintain a robust defense posture against evolving threats.