CVE-2017-7514 in Satellite
Summary
by MITRE
A cross-site scripting (XSS) flaw was found in how the failed action entry is processed in Red Hat Satellite before version 5.8.0. A user able to specify a failed action could exploit this flaw to perform XSS attacks against other Satellite users.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/27/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7514 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Red Hat Satellite's handling of failed action entries. This weakness exists in versions prior to 5.8.0 and specifically targets the processing mechanism for failed actions within the satellite management platform. The flaw enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts into the application's response when handling failed actions, creating a persistent security risk for all users interacting with the system. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, making it a direct descendant of well-known web application security weaknesses that have plagued enterprise systems for decades.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the satellite platform processes failed action entries without proper input sanitization or output encoding. When a user can influence the content of failed actions, they can inject malicious script code that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers. This particular flaw exploits the lack of proper validation mechanisms in the action processing pipeline, allowing attackers to craft payloads that appear legitimate within the satellite environment. The vulnerability operates at the application layer where user-supplied data flows through the system without adequate sanitization, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where multiple administrators interact with the same platform.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-7514 extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform session hijacking, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation attacks against other users. Once an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can execute malicious scripts in the browser context of legitimate users, potentially stealing session cookies, accessing sensitive configuration data, or performing unauthorized administrative actions. The attack surface is particularly concerning in Red Hat Satellite environments where users typically have elevated privileges and access to critical system information. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting and T1566.001 for credential access through social engineering, as it allows for both automated script execution and user deception.
Organizations using Red Hat Satellite versions prior to 5.8.0 face significant risk from this vulnerability, as it can be exploited by both internal and external threat actors who gain the ability to specify failed actions within the system. The remediation approach requires immediate patching to version 5.8.0 or later, which includes proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms for failed action processing. Security teams should implement additional monitoring for suspicious action entries and consider network segmentation to limit potential impact. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in enterprise management platforms and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of all user-facing interfaces, particularly those that process user-supplied data in complex system environments.