CVE-2018-1142 in Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
Tenable Appliance versions 4.6.1 and earlier have been found to contain a single XSS vulnerability. Utilizing a specially crafted request, an authenticated attacker could potentially execute arbitrary JavaScript code by manipulating certain URL parameters related to offline plugins.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2020
The Tenable Appliance vulnerability CVE-2018-1142 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw that affects versions 4.6.1 and earlier of the security appliance. This vulnerability resides within the appliance's handling of URL parameters related to offline plugin functionality, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code into the application's response. The flaw demonstrates a classic XSS vulnerability pattern where user-controllable input is not properly sanitized before being rendered in web responses, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of the victim's browser session. The vulnerability specifically targets the offline plugin management interface, which suggests the issue occurs when the appliance processes requests containing manipulated parameters that control plugin behavior.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the appliance's web interface. When an authenticated user submits a request containing maliciously crafted URL parameters, the application fails to properly sanitize these inputs before incorporating them into dynamic web content. This allows an attacker with valid credentials to construct malicious requests that, when processed by the appliance, execute JavaScript code in the browser of any user who views the affected page. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authentication to exploit, meaning that an attacker who has gained access to valid user credentials can leverage this flaw to escalate their privileges or compromise the appliance's security posture. This represents a CWE-79 vulnerability classification, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting issues where web applications fail to properly validate or encode user-supplied data before including it in dynamically generated web pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the compromised environment. An attacker could potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, modify the appliance's interface to hide or alter security alerts, or even execute commands that could compromise the underlying system. The authenticated nature of the attack means that the vulnerability can be exploited by insiders or compromised users, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have access to the appliance. Given that the Tenable appliance is designed for security monitoring and vulnerability assessment, an attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to sensitive network information, potentially leading to further compromise of the entire network infrastructure. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as the ability to execute arbitrary JavaScript code provides a foundation for further attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-1142 should focus on both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening. The most effective immediate solution is upgrading to Tenable Appliance version 4.6.2 or later, which contains patches specifically designed to address the XSS vulnerability in the offline plugin handling code. Organizations should also implement strict input validation measures, ensuring that all URL parameters are properly sanitized before being processed by the application. Network segmentation and access control measures should be reinforced to limit the potential impact of credential compromise, while monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect suspicious parameter manipulation attempts. Regular security assessments of web applications should include thorough testing of input validation mechanisms, particularly focusing on parameter handling in plugin and module interfaces. Additionally, implementing content security policies can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be executed within the appliance's web interface.