CVE-2018-16607 in Open-AudIT Professional
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Orgs Page in Open-AudIT Professional edition in 2.2.7 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script via the Orgs name field.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/25/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-16607 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Open-AudIT Professional edition version 2.2.7, specifically affecting the Organizations page functionality. This vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data entered into the Orgs name field. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts within the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information and system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly escape or filter special characters in the organization name input field. When users enter data containing script tags or other malicious code into the Orgs name field, the system does not adequately sanitize this input before rendering it back to the user interface. This allows attackers to inject HTML and JavaScript code that executes in the browser context of legitimate users who view the affected page. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly encode output data.
The operational impact of this XSS vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even execute arbitrary commands on affected systems. Given that Open-AudIT is a network auditing and discovery tool, successful exploitation could provide attackers with access to detailed network information, system configurations, and potentially sensitive organizational data. The professional edition's administrative capabilities make this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could be leveraged to escalate privileges or gain deeper access to network resources. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566.001 for Phishing, as it enables the delivery of malicious payloads through web-based attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-16607 should include immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The fix requires sanitizing all user-supplied input in the Orgs name field by implementing HTML entity encoding, using secure coding practices such as parameterized queries, and employing Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls, regular security code reviews, and input validation libraries to prevent similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, the affected Open-AudIT Professional edition should be updated to a patched version that properly addresses the XSS vulnerability, as the vendor likely released security updates to resolve this specific flaw. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of the patched application to ensure that all input fields are properly sanitized and that the fix does not introduce new functionality issues.