CVE-2015-3988 in Dashboard
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in OpenStack Dashboard (Horizon) 2015.1.0 allow remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the metadata to a (1) Glance image, (2) Nova flavor or (3) Host Aggregate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/18/2022
The CVE-2015-3988 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in OpenStack Dashboard version 2015.1.0, specifically affecting the Horizon web interface used for managing OpenStack cloud infrastructure. This vulnerability exists within the metadata handling mechanisms of three core OpenStack services, creating a significant security risk for cloud administrators and users who interact with the dashboard. The flaw allows authenticated attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content into system metadata fields, potentially compromising the integrity of the entire cloud management interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the Horizon dashboard's metadata processing components. When administrators or users enter metadata information for Glance images, Nova flavors, or Host Aggregates, the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it in the web interface. This oversight creates an XSS attack vector where malicious payloads can be executed in the context of other users' browser sessions, particularly when they view the affected metadata fields. The vulnerability is authenticated, meaning attackers must have valid credentials to exploit it, but this requirement does not mitigate the potential damage as it can be leveraged to escalate privileges or steal session tokens from other users.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-3988 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be exploited to perform session hijacking, steal administrative credentials, or redirect users to malicious websites. Attackers could craft specially formatted metadata entries that, when viewed by other administrators, would execute malicious JavaScript code in their browsers. This capability allows for privilege escalation attacks where attackers could potentially gain administrative access to the cloud infrastructure, as the dashboard provides access to critical system management functions. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of OpenStack's administrative interface, undermining the security posture of cloud environments that rely on Horizon for management operations.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of OpenStack Dashboard, implementing strict input validation policies, and conducting comprehensive security reviews of all metadata handling components. The CWE-79 standard categorizes this as a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability, while the MITRE ATT&CK framework would classify this under the T1059 technique for command and scripting interpreter. Additional defensive measures include implementing content security policies, regular security scanning of dashboard components, and mandatory security training for cloud administrators. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of input sanitization in web applications and demonstrates how seemingly minor flaws in metadata handling can create significant security risks in complex cloud infrastructure environments.