CVE-2017-12978 in Cacti
Summary
by MITRE
lib/html.php in Cacti before 1.1.18 has XSS via the title field of an external link added by an authenticated user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12978 resides within the Cacti network monitoring platform, specifically in the lib/html.php file of versions prior to 1.1.18. This issue represents a cross-site scripting vulnerability that allows authenticated users to inject malicious scripts into the title field of external links. The flaw occurs when users add external links through the web interface, which are then rendered without proper input sanitization or output encoding, creating an avenue for attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation and sanitization of user-supplied input within the title parameter of external links. When an authenticated user creates a link with a malicious title, the application fails to properly encode or escape special characters before rendering the content in HTML contexts. This oversight enables attackers to inject script tags or other malicious payloads that execute when other users view the affected page. The vulnerability specifically affects the title field of external links, making it particularly dangerous as users may encounter these malicious links while browsing through network monitoring dashboards or reports. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental web application security weakness that has been consistently ranked among the top ten web application security risks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a range of malicious activities including session hijacking, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the context of the affected Cacti installation. An attacker who gains access to a legitimate user account can inject scripts that steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or modify dashboard content to mislead administrators. Given that Cacti is commonly used in enterprise environments for network monitoring, this vulnerability could provide attackers with access to sensitive network infrastructure information and potentially serve as a foothold for further lateral movement within the network. The attack vector requires authentication, making it less immediately dangerous than client-side vulnerabilities, but still poses significant risk in environments where user access control is not properly enforced.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-12978 should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Cacti application. The most direct solution involves upgrading to Cacti version 1.1.18 or later, where the vulnerability has been patched through proper sanitization of user inputs. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures including regular security audits of web applications, implementation of content security policies, and thorough input validation for all user-supplied data. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices, particularly regarding input validation and output encoding. Network administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious script injections, and establish regular monitoring procedures to identify potential exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it enables attackers to execute malicious scripts within the target environment, and T1566 - Phishing, as it can be used to craft deceptive links that appear legitimate within the monitoring interface.