CVE-2015-6005 in Whatsup Gold
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in IPSwitch WhatsUp Gold before 16.4 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) an SNMP OID object, (2) an SNMP trap message, (3) the View Names field, (4) the Group Names field, (5) the Flow Monitor Credentials field, (6) the Flow Monitor Threshold Name field, (7) the Task Library Name field, (8) the Task Library Description field, (9) the Policy Library Name field, (10) the Policy Library Description field, (11) the Template Library Name field, (12) the Template Library Description field, (13) the System Script Library Name field, (14) the System Script Library Description field, or (15) the CLI Settings Library Description field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/08/2024
The CVE-2015-6005 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in IPSwitch WhatsUp Gold versions prior to 16.4, exposing multiple attack vectors that could enable remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts within the context of affected web applications. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically targeting input validation weaknesses in various administrative and configuration fields of the WhatsUp Gold network monitoring platform. The vulnerability's scope is particularly concerning as it affects numerous fields within the application's user interface and configuration management system, creating multiple potential entry points for malicious actors.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the injection of malicious script code into various input fields that are not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered in web pages. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting specially formatted input in fields such as SNMP OID objects, SNMP trap messages, and various library name and description fields. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can potentially allow attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of legitimate users, or redirect victims to malicious sites. Each of the fifteen affected fields represents a separate attack surface that could be exploited without requiring authentication, making the overall risk assessment particularly severe for organizations using vulnerable versions of the software.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-6005 significantly affects network monitoring and management environments where WhatsUp Gold is deployed, as it could enable attackers to compromise the integrity of network monitoring data and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive network information. Organizations relying on this platform for critical network infrastructure monitoring face elevated risks of data exfiltration, unauthorized configuration changes, and potential lateral movement within their network environments. The vulnerability's presence in fields related to flow monitor credentials, task libraries, policy libraries, and template libraries creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate monitoring configurations or escalate privileges within the platform. This weakness directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 for Phishing and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it enables both user deception and malicious code execution within the application context.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-6005 should prioritize immediate patching of all affected WhatsUp Gold installations to version 16.4 or later, as this represents the most effective defense against the vulnerability. Organizations should implement additional network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the affected application to untrusted networks. Input validation and output encoding should be strengthened across all user-facing fields, particularly those handling SNMP data, library names, and description fields. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous script injection patterns in application logs and network traffic. The vulnerability's classification as a persistent XSS issue necessitates comprehensive application security testing, including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing to identify other potential injection points within the application's interface. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional layers of protection against script injection attacks.