CVE-2017-11739 in Application Manager
Summary
by MITRE
In Zoho ManageEngine Application Manager 13.1 Build 13100, an authenticated user, with administrative privileges, has the ability to add a widget on any dashboard. This widget can be a "Utility Widget" with a "Custom HTML or Text" field. Once this widget is created, it will be loaded on the dashboard where it was added. An attacker can abuse this functionality by creating a "Utility Widget" that contains malicious JavaScript code, aka XSS.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/24/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-11739 resides within Zoho ManageEngine Application Manager version 13.1 Build 13100, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that exploits the application's dashboard customization capabilities. This security weakness specifically targets authenticated administrative users who possess the privilege to add widgets to dashboards, creating a pathway for malicious code execution that can compromise the entire application environment. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the utility widget creation functionality, particularly when processing custom HTML or text content fields.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the "Utility Widget" feature, which allows administrators to embed custom HTML content directly into dashboard interfaces. When an attacker creates a malicious widget containing JavaScript code within the "Custom HTML or Text" field, this code executes in the context of other users who view the affected dashboard. The flaw represents a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability classified under CWE-79, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation. This vulnerability falls into the category of stored XSS attacks as the malicious code is persisted within the application's database and executed whenever affected pages are rendered to users.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-11739 extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform comprehensive attacks against the application's users. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary JavaScript code that might steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, modify dashboard content, or even escalate privileges within the application. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only administrative access, which significantly reduces the attack surface and increases the potential damage. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for scripting and T1566.001 for malicious HTML files, demonstrating how the flaw can be used to establish persistent access and conduct further reconnaissance.
Organizations utilizing Zoho ManageEngine Application Manager should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability, including restricting administrative privileges to only essential personnel, implementing robust input validation for all user-generated content, and deploying content security policies to prevent script execution. The recommended approach involves applying the vendor's official patch or update that addresses the input sanitization issues within the widget creation functionality. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be employed to detect anomalous dashboard modifications and suspicious widget creation activities. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls that can identify and block malicious script payloads attempting to exploit this vulnerability, while maintaining detailed audit logs of all administrative dashboard modifications to enable rapid incident response and forensic analysis.