CVE-2014-8629 in Pandora Flexible Monitoring System
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Page visualization agents in Pandora FMS 5.1 SP1 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the refr parameter to index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-8629 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Pandora FMS version 5.1 SP1 and earlier installations. This vulnerability specifically targets the Page visualization agents component of the monitoring platform, which is widely used for network and system monitoring in enterprise environments. The affected software operates as a comprehensive IT monitoring solution that provides real-time visibility into infrastructure performance, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit security weaknesses in monitoring systems that often contain sensitive operational data.
The technical flaw manifests through improper input validation of the refr parameter within the index.php script. When a remote attacker crafts a malicious request containing crafted script code within this parameter, the application fails to adequately sanitize or escape the input before rendering it in the web page output. This allows the injected malicious code to execute within the context of other users' browsers who visit the affected page. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, where the application generates dynamic web content that includes untrusted data without proper sanitization. This particular implementation allows attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML content, potentially enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be leveraged to compromise the entire monitoring infrastructure. Attackers can exploit this weakness to execute malicious scripts in the browsers of legitimate users who access the Pandora FMS interface, potentially leading to unauthorized access to monitoring data, system configuration information, or even privilege escalation within the monitoring environment. Given that Pandora FMS is frequently deployed in critical infrastructure monitoring scenarios, this vulnerability could enable attackers to gain insights into network topology, system configurations, and operational status information that could be used for further attacks. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or network, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where the monitoring system is exposed to external networks.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Pandora FMS versions that address this vulnerability, which typically involves applying the vendor-supplied patches or hotfixes. Additionally, input validation should be strengthened through proper sanitization of all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in URL parameters like refr. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection by filtering suspicious requests before they reach the vulnerable application components. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes social engineering attacks through malicious web content, and T1071 which covers application layer protocol usage for command and control communications. Regular security assessments and input validation testing should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future development cycles, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly escaped and validated before being rendered in web interfaces.