CVE-2015-6502 in Puppet Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the console in Puppet Enterprise before 2015.2.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the string parameter, related to Login Redirect.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6502 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Puppet Enterprise console component, specifically affecting versions prior to 2015.2.1. This security weakness resides in the web application's handling of user input during the login redirect process, creating an avenue for remote attackers to execute malicious code within the context of authenticated user sessions. The vulnerability manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize or encode user-supplied input parameters, particularly those related to string values used in redirect mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the Puppet Enterprise console's authentication flow. When users attempt to log in and are redirected to a specific page, the application processes the string parameter without adequate sanitization measures, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the victim's browser. This flaw operates under CWE-79 which classifies the weakness as improper neutralization of input during web output, directly enabling the execution of arbitrary web scripts or HTML content. The vulnerability specifically impacts the login redirect functionality, where user-provided strings are improperly handled and subsequently rendered without proper security measures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive authentication tokens, and potentially gain unauthorized access to privileged Puppet Enterprise functionalities. Attackers can craft malicious URLs that, when clicked by authenticated users, execute scripts that capture session cookies or redirect users to phishing sites. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which encompasses social engineering tactics, specifically focusing on the manipulation of web application interfaces to execute malicious code. The compromised nature of the console environment means that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, as Puppet Enterprise administrators often possess elevated privileges and access to critical infrastructure management capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-6502 require immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding measures within the Puppet Enterprise console. Organizations should upgrade to Puppet Enterprise version 2015.2.1 or later, which includes proper sanitization of string parameters in login redirect processes. Additional protective measures include implementing Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution, deploying web application firewalls to monitor and filter malicious requests, and conducting regular security assessments of web applications to identify similar input handling vulnerabilities. The remediation process must ensure that all user-supplied input is properly validated against expected formats and that output is appropriately encoded before rendering in web contexts. Security teams should also implement monitoring solutions to detect anomalous login redirect patterns and establish incident response procedures to address potential exploitation attempts.