CVE-2016-6857 in Hybris
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Create Catalogue feature in Hybris Management Console (HMC) in SAP Hybris before 5.2.0.13, 5.3.x before 5.3.0.11, 5.4.x before 5.4.0.11, 5.5.0.x before 5.5.0.10, 5.5.1.x before 5.5.1.11, 5.6.x before 5.6.0.11, and 5.7.x before 5.7.0.15 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the ID field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6857 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Hybris Management Console's Create Catalogue functionality. This issue affects multiple versions of SAP Hybris commerce platform, specifically targeting releases before the mentioned patch levels across various version branches. The vulnerability resides in how the system processes user input through the ID field during catalogue creation operations, creating a pathway for malicious script injection that can be executed in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the improper sanitization of input parameters within the HMC interface. When authenticated users interact with the Create Catalogue feature and provide unvalidated input in the ID field, the system fails to adequately filter or encode special characters that could be interpreted as executable script code. This weakness allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript or HTML content that gets stored and subsequently executed whenever other users view the affected catalogue entries. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only authentication to the system, meaning that any user with valid credentials can potentially exploit this flaw.
From an operational perspective, this XSS vulnerability creates significant risks for organizations using SAP Hybris platforms, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary code in the browsers of other authenticated users. The impact extends beyond simple data theft, as attackers could potentially redirect users to malicious sites, steal session cookies, or perform actions on behalf of legitimate users within the system. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it operates within the management console, which typically contains sensitive administrative functions and access to critical business data. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in input validation and output encoding mechanisms.
The security implications of this vulnerability are compounded by the fact that it affects the management console interface where administrators and authorized personnel typically perform critical operations. Attackers could leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access to sensitive business information, manipulate catalogue data, or potentially escalate privileges within the system. The authenticated nature of the attack means that the threat actor does not need to be an external attacker but can be an insider threat or an attacker who has obtained valid credentials through other means. This vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for social engineering and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage, as attackers could use the XSS payload to establish further footholds within the environment.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor patches released for affected versions, implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and conducting comprehensive security testing of all user input fields within the HMC. Additional defensive measures should include web application firewall rules to detect and block suspicious script patterns, enhanced monitoring of catalogue creation activities, and regular security awareness training for administrators to recognize potential social engineering attempts that could lead to credential compromise. The remediation approach should also incorporate proper security code reviews and automated scanning tools to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components that might be susceptible to the same class of input validation flaws.