CVE-2018-12099 in Grafana
Summary
by MITRE
Grafana before 5.2.0-beta1 has XSS vulnerabilities in dashboard links.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-12099 affects Grafana versions prior to 5.2.0-beta1 and represents a cross-site scripting vulnerability within dashboard links functionality. This issue arises from inadequate input validation and sanitization of user-supplied data when constructing dashboard links, creating opportunities for malicious actors to inject harmful scripts into the application's interface. The vulnerability specifically impacts the dashboard link feature where users can define custom links that may contain user-controllable parameters, making it susceptible to exploitation by attackers who can manipulate these links to execute malicious code in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical flaw manifests when Grafana processes dashboard links that contain unescaped or improperly sanitized user input, particularly in URL parameters or link titles. This weakness allows attackers to craft malicious dashboard links that, when clicked by authenticated users, execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the victim's browser session. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses that occur when an application includes untrusted data in a new web page without proper validation or escaping, or when it reuses a plain text string without escaping it for the specific context where it is used. The attack vector typically involves an attacker creating a malicious dashboard link with embedded script tags or other malicious payloads that exploit the lack of proper input sanitization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities through compromised Grafana instances. An attacker who gains the ability to inject malicious links could potentially steal user sessions, access sensitive dashboard data, modify dashboard configurations, or redirect users to phishing sites. Since Grafana is commonly used for monitoring and visualization of critical system metrics, the compromise of dashboard links could lead to unauthorized access to operational data, potentially exposing system vulnerabilities or sensitive business information. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where authenticated users regularly interact with dashboard links, as a single compromised link could affect multiple users within the same Grafana instance.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to Grafana version 5.2.0-beta1 or later to address this vulnerability, as this release includes proper input sanitization and validation for dashboard links. Additionally, administrators should implement proper access controls and user authentication measures to limit the ability of unauthorized users to create or modify dashboard links. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious link creation activities, and regular security audits should be conducted to identify any potentially compromised dashboard configurations. The mitigation strategy should also include educating users about the risks of clicking unfamiliar dashboard links and implementing content security policies that restrict script execution within the Grafana environment. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which involves the use of script-based languages for execution, and T1566 which covers social engineering tactics that can be employed to deliver malicious payloads through compromised interfaces.