CVE-2017-14799 in NetIQ Access Manager
Summary
by MITRE
A cross site scripting attack in handling the ESP login parameter handling in NetIQ Access Manager before 4.3.3 could be used to inject javascript code into the login page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/16/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14799 represents a critical cross site scripting flaw within NetIQ Access Manager's authentication handling mechanism. This issue specifically affects versions prior to 4.3.3 and stems from inadequate input validation when processing the ESP login parameter. The flaw exists in the web application's user interface where login page elements fail to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied input, creating an avenue for malicious code injection. The vulnerability manifests when an attacker crafts a malicious payload within the ESP login parameter that gets rendered on the login page without proper sanitization, allowing arbitrary javascript execution in the context of the victim's browser session.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities in web applications. The flaw demonstrates a classic insecure input handling pattern where user-provided data flows directly into the application's output without appropriate sanitization or encoding mechanisms. When the NetIQ Access Manager processes the ESP login parameter, it fails to implement proper HTML escaping or context-appropriate encoding for the input values. This allows an attacker to inject malicious javascript code that executes within the victim's browser context, potentially compromising the authentication flow and session management. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it targets the login page itself, which represents a critical touchpoint for authentication and session establishment.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability provides attackers with significant privileges to compromise user sessions and potentially gain unauthorized access to protected resources. The attack vector allows for session hijacking, credential theft, and potential privilege escalation within the access management system. An attacker could inject javascript code that redirects users to malicious sites, steals authentication tokens, or modifies the login interface to capture user credentials. The vulnerability also enables more sophisticated attacks such as defacement of the login page, injection of malicious content that could persist across multiple user sessions, and potential exploitation of other related vulnerabilities within the same application framework. The impact extends beyond individual user compromise to potentially affect the entire access management infrastructure and trust model of the organization.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the NetIQ Access Manager application. Organizations should upgrade to version 4.3.3 or later where the vulnerability has been patched through proper input sanitization and parameter validation. The fix should implement context-appropriate encoding for all user-supplied input that flows into web page content, specifically applying HTML escaping to prevent javascript injection. Security measures should include implementing Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution, deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and establishing regular input validation routines. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of their access management infrastructure. The remediation process should also include reviewing and updating security configuration settings, implementing proper logging and monitoring for suspicious parameter values, and conducting security awareness training for administrators to recognize potential attack patterns. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in authentication systems and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploiting vulnerabilities in authentication mechanisms, making it a high-priority remediation item for organizations relying on NetIQ Access Manager for identity and access management.