CVE-2017-7438 in Account Manager
Summary
by MITRE
NetIQ Privileged Account Manager before 3.1 Patch Update 3 allowed cross site scripting attacks via javascript DOM modification using the supplied cookie parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7438 affects NetIQ Privileged Account Manager versions prior to 3.1 Patch Update 3, representing a critical cross site scripting flaw that enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary javascript code through DOM manipulation techniques. This vulnerability specifically exploits the application's handling of the cookie parameter, which serves as an entry point for attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of a victim's browser session. The flaw resides in the application's insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms, allowing attacker-controlled data to be processed without proper sanitization before being rendered to end users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows the classic XSS attack pattern where an attacker crafts a malicious cookie value containing javascript code that gets executed when the vulnerable application processes and displays the cookie content. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which categorizes cross site scripting as a result of inadequate input validation and output encoding practices. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The DOM-based nature of the attack means that the malicious script is executed directly within the browser's document object model without requiring server-side processing, making it particularly dangerous as it can bypass traditional server-side security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations utilizing NetIQ Privileged Account Manager, as it provides attackers with a pathway to compromise privileged accounts and potentially gain elevated access to critical systems. Given that the application manages privileged account credentials and access controls, successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive network resources, data breaches, and privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability affects the application's security posture by creating an attack surface that allows adversaries to manipulate user sessions and potentially establish persistent access within the network environment. This risk is compounded by the fact that the vulnerability exists in the cookie parameter handling, which is commonly used for session management and authentication purposes.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the available patch update 3 for NetIQ Privileged Account Manager version 3.1, which addresses the specific input validation issues in cookie parameter handling. Additionally, implementing proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms within the application's cookie processing logic would prevent malicious code from being executed. Security teams should also consider deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious cookie values, and implement strict cookie security policies including secure flags and HttpOnly attributes to limit the attack surface. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper security controls around session management and input validation, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1548.001 which covers privilege escalation through session management flaws. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments of their privileged access management systems to identify similar vulnerabilities that could be exploited through different attack vectors.