CVE-2017-1000032 in Cacti
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-Site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Cacti 0.8.8b allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the parent_id parameter to tree.php and drp_action parameter to data_sources.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/17/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1000032 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Cacti version 0.8.8b, a widely used network monitoring and graphing solution. This vulnerability resides within the web application's input validation mechanisms, specifically targeting two distinct endpoints that handle user-supplied data. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of authenticated users' browsers, potentially compromising the entire monitoring infrastructure. The affected parameters include parent_id in tree.php and drp_action in data_sources.php, both of which are critical components in the application's tree management and data source operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user input parameters before rendering in web responses. When the application processes the parent_id parameter in tree.php or the drp_action parameter in data_sources.php, it fails to properly escape or validate the incoming data, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code or HTML content. This occurs because the application directly incorporates user-supplied values into dynamic web pages without adequate security controls. The vulnerability manifests as a classic reflected XSS attack where malicious payloads are injected through the web interface and executed when legitimate users view the affected pages. According to CWE-79, this corresponds to improper neutralization of input during web page generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security. The attack vector operates entirely through the web interface, requiring no privileged access or special conditions beyond being able to submit data to the vulnerable endpoints.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-1000032 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can lead to complete compromise of the monitoring environment. An attacker could execute scripts that steal authentication cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or modify the application's behavior to hide malicious activities. Since Cacti is typically deployed in network monitoring environments, this vulnerability could provide attackers with access to critical network data and potentially serve as a foothold for broader network attacks. The vulnerability affects the application's administrative interface, meaning that if an attacker can exploit it, they might gain access to sensitive monitoring data, system configurations, or even escalate privileges within the application. This risk is particularly concerning given that Cacti often runs with elevated privileges and contains sensitive network infrastructure data. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a web application attack pattern under the T1059.007 technique for script injection, where adversaries leverage web application vulnerabilities to execute malicious code in the context of authenticated users.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding controls. Organizations should apply the vendor-provided patch for Cacti 0.8.8b or upgrade to a secure version that properly sanitizes the affected parameters. The recommended approach involves implementing proper HTML entity encoding for all user-supplied input before rendering in web pages, which directly addresses the root cause of the vulnerability. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting script execution within the application. Network monitoring solutions should also implement regular security scanning and vulnerability assessments to identify similar issues in other web applications. The defense-in-depth strategy should include disabling unnecessary user input parameters, implementing proper access controls, and conducting regular security training for administrators to recognize and respond to potential XSS attack vectors. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit this and similar vulnerabilities.