CVE-2016-8011 in McAfee Endpoint Security
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability in Intel Security McAfee Endpoint Security (ENS) Web Control before 10.2.0.408.10 allows attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted web site.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/06/2020
The CVE-2016-8011 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Intel Security McAfee Endpoint Security Web Control component, specifically affecting versions prior to 10.2.0.408.10. This vulnerability resides in the web control module that manages web browsing security policies and enforcement mechanisms for endpoint devices. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of a user's browser session, potentially compromising the security posture of organizations relying on this protection framework. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web control interface, creating an attack vector where malicious actors can craft specially designed web pages to inject harmful script code.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of web content that flows through the McAfee Endpoint Security Web Control module. When a user visits a malicious website that contains crafted HTML or JavaScript payloads, the vulnerable web control fails to properly sanitize or encode the incoming content before rendering it in the browser context. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary script code that executes within the user's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further exploitation of the compromised endpoint. The vulnerability is classified as a classic reflected cross-site scripting issue where the malicious payload is reflected back to the user through the web application's response, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may browse untrusted websites.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-8011 extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with a foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the enterprise network. Organizations using affected versions of McAfee Endpoint Security Web Control face significant risks including unauthorized access to sensitive data, potential privilege escalation, and the ability to bypass security controls that should be protecting against malicious web traffic. The vulnerability affects the core web filtering capabilities of the security solution, undermining the trust model that organizations rely upon when implementing endpoint security policies. This flaw particularly threatens enterprises that depend on web control for enforcing security policies, as attackers can exploit it to circumvent content filtering mechanisms and gain access to restricted resources or sensitive information.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to McAfee Endpoint Security Web Control version 10.2.0.408.10 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the cross-site scripting vulnerability. Security teams should also consider implementing additional network-level protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to provide defense-in-depth against exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a common attack pattern that maps to several ATT&CK techniques including initial access through web-based attacks and privilege escalation via session manipulation. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments to identify all instances of the vulnerable software and ensure proper patch management procedures are in place to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in the future.