CVE-2016-2075 in vRealize Business Advance
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in VMware vRealize Business Advanced and Enterprise 8.x before 8.2.5 on Linux allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/10/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-2075 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within VMware vRealize Business Advanced and Enterprise versions 8.x prior to 8.2.5 running on Linux platforms. This security weakness exposes the system to remote authenticated attackers who can exploit it to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content into the application's user interface. The vulnerability's classification as a persistent XSS issue means that the malicious code can be executed in the context of other users' sessions, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information or system compromise. The attack vector requires an authenticated user session, which reduces the attack surface but does not eliminate the risk entirely, as legitimate users could be tricked into executing malicious payloads through social engineering or compromised accounts.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the vRealize Business application's web interface. When authenticated users interact with the system, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages, creating an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious scripts. This flaw typically occurs when user inputs are directly incorporated into dynamic web content without adequate sanitization or encoding measures. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning given that vRealize Business is designed for enterprise environments where sensitive business data and system configurations are managed, making it a valuable target for attackers seeking to escalate privileges or access confidential information. The issue falls under CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly escape or encode user-controllable data before including it in web output.
The operational implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal user credentials, or manipulate the application's functionality to gain unauthorized access to system resources. In enterprise environments where vRealize Business is used for resource management and business intelligence, the potential for data exfiltration or system manipulation is significant. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to redirect users to malicious websites, steal session cookies, or even execute arbitrary commands on the affected system. The authenticated nature of the attack means that attackers must first obtain valid credentials, but once achieved, they can exploit this vulnerability to maintain persistent access to the system. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell, as it enables attackers to establish persistent access through malicious script execution. The risk is compounded by the fact that vRealize Business administrators often possess elevated privileges, making successful exploitation potentially devastating for enterprise security posture.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying the vendor-provided security patches released in version 8.2.5 and subsequent updates. Network segmentation and monitoring of web application traffic can help detect potential exploitation attempts, while implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's codebase can prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their VMware environments to identify any other potential XSS vulnerabilities or related security weaknesses. The implementation of web application firewalls and content security policies can provide additional layers of protection against such attacks. Regular security awareness training for administrators and users can help reduce the risk of social engineering attacks that might be used to obtain initial authenticated access to the system, while also emphasizing the importance of keeping software updated to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.