CVE-2017-8041 in Single Sign-On
Summary
by MITRE
In Single Sign-On for Pivotal Cloud Foundry (PCF) 1.3.x versions prior to 1.3.4 and 1.4.x versions prior to 1.4.3, a user can execute a XSS attack on certain Single Sign-On service UI pages by inputting code in the text field for an organization name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8041 affects the Single Sign-On service within Pivotal Cloud Foundry versions prior to specific patch releases, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that undermines the security of user authentication processes. This vulnerability specifically targets the organization name input field within the SSO service user interface, where malicious actors can inject malicious code that executes in the context of other users' browsers. The flaw exists due to insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web application's user interface components, creating an attack vector that allows for unauthorized code execution in the browser context of legitimate users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper sanitization of user input within the SSO service's organization name field, which fails to properly escape or validate special characters that could be interpreted as executable code by web browsers. This weakness enables attackers to craft malicious payloads that, when submitted through the vulnerable input field, get rendered in subsequent page displays without proper security filtering. The vulnerability manifests when the application fails to implement proper context-aware output encoding, particularly in HTML contexts where user-supplied data is directly embedded into web page content without appropriate sanitization measures. This type of flaw is classified as CWE-79, Cross-Site Scripting, which represents one of the most common and dangerous web application security vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-8041 extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of authenticated user sessions. This capability enables sophisticated attack chains where malicious actors can perform actions such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, defacing the SSO interface, or even executing privilege escalation attacks against the underlying cloud platform. The vulnerability particularly affects Pivotal Cloud Foundry environments where multiple users rely on the SSO service for authentication, creating a potential attack surface that could compromise the entire platform's security posture. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can effectively impersonate legitimate users and potentially gain access to sensitive cloud resources and data.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-8041 require immediate patching of affected Pivotal Cloud Foundry installations to versions 1.3.4 or 1.4.3 and later, which contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures including input validation at multiple layers, output encoding for all user-supplied data, and regular security scanning of web applications. The remediation process should involve comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce regressions in functionality while verifying that the XSS protection mechanisms are properly implemented. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional protection layers against similar vulnerabilities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, as it enables attackers to execute malicious JavaScript code through the compromised SSO interface, potentially leading to further exploitation techniques such as credential theft or lateral movement within the cloud environment.