CVE-2018-1186 in Isilion
Summary
by MITRE
Dell EMC Isilon versions between 8.1.0.0 - 8.1.0.1, 8.0.1.0 - 8.0.1.2, and 8.0.0.0 - 8.0.0.6, versions 7.2.1.x, and version 7.1.1.11 is affected by a cross-site scripting vulnerability in the Cluster description of the OneFS web administration interface. A malicious administrator may potentially inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript code in the user's browser session in the context of the OneFS website.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1186 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Dell EMC Isilon storage systems that affects multiple software versions including 8.1.0.0 through 8.1.0.1, 8.0.1.0 through 8.0.1.2, 8.0.0.0 through 8.0.0.6, 7.2.1.x, and 7.1.1.11. This security weakness resides in the Cluster description field of the OneFS web administration interface, which fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it within the web application context. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms that allow malicious actors to inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript code into the web interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the Cluster description field within the OneFS web administration interface. When an attacker with administrative privileges crafts malicious input containing HTML or JavaScript code and saves it to the cluster description, the code becomes persistent within the web application's response. Upon subsequent access to the interface, the malicious code executes within the browser context of authenticated users, potentially compromising the integrity of the web session. This flaw falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Scripting through web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with the ability to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive administrative credentials, and potentially escalate privileges within the storage environment. An attacker who gains administrative access through this vector could manipulate storage configurations, access sensitive data, and compromise the overall security posture of the storage infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires minimal privileges to exploit since it targets the administrative web interface where legitimate administrators already possess elevated permissions. This creates a dangerous scenario where a compromised administrative account could be further leveraged to maintain persistence and conduct more sophisticated attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-1186 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to the latest stable versions of Dell EMC Isilon software that contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to the OneFS web administration interface to trusted administrative workstations only, reducing the attack surface for potential exploitation. Additional defensive measures include regular monitoring of the cluster description field for suspicious content, implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and conducting regular security assessments of administrative interfaces. Administrators should also enforce strict access controls and privilege separation to minimize the potential impact if an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, as the attack requires administrative privileges to initially inject malicious code into the system.