CVE-2018-18569 in BI Server
Summary
by MITRE
The Dundas BI server before 5.0.1.1010 is vulnerable to a Server-Side Request Forgery attack, allowing an attacker to forge arbitrary requests (with certain restrictions) that will be executed on behalf of the attacker, via the viewUrl parameter of the "export the dashboard as an image" feature. This could be leveraged to provide a proxy to attack other servers (internal or external) or to perform network scans of external or internal networks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-18569 represents a critical server-side request forgery flaw in Dundas BI server versions prior to 5.0.1.1010. This security weakness specifically targets the dashboard image export functionality, where the viewUrl parameter becomes a vector for malicious exploitation. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and demonstrates a classic SSRF attack pattern that allows remote code execution through manipulated HTTP requests. The flaw exists within the server's handling of user-supplied input during the dashboard image generation process, creating a pathway for attackers to manipulate the underlying system's network requests.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the Dundas BI server's export feature. When users attempt to export dashboards as images, the system accepts a viewUrl parameter that should ideally be restricted to internal resources only. However, the server fails to properly validate or sanitize this parameter, allowing attackers to supply arbitrary URLs that will be processed by the server's network stack. This creates a scenario where the server acts as an intermediary, executing HTTP requests on behalf of the attacker against any target system that the server can reach. The attack can be particularly dangerous because the server's network permissions may grant it access to internal network resources that are normally protected from external access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exfiltration or service disruption. Attackers can leverage this flaw to perform reconnaissance activities including network scanning of internal systems, bypassing traditional network security controls such as firewalls and network segmentation. The vulnerability enables attackers to use the Dundas BI server as a proxy for conducting attacks against other systems, potentially accessing internal services that would otherwise be unreachable from the attacker's position. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where internal network resources are often more privileged and less protected than external-facing systems. The attack can be used to map internal network topology, identify running services, and potentially exploit other vulnerabilities in systems that the server can access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-18569 should focus on immediate patching of the Dundas BI server to version 5.0.1.1010 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network-level restrictions to limit outbound connections from the Dundas BI server, particularly blocking access to internal network segments. Input validation should be strengthened at the application level to ensure that all URL parameters are properly sanitized and validated against a whitelist of acceptable resources. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict the server's ability to communicate with internal systems, and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual network activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-918, which specifically addresses server-side request forgery, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol tunneling and T1046 for network service scanning.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the importance of secure input handling and the risks associated with web applications that process external URLs without proper validation. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their web applications to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components that might be susceptible to SSRF attacks. Regular security updates and patch management processes should be prioritized to address such vulnerabilities promptly. The incident also underscores the need for defense-in-depth strategies that combine application-level controls with network-level protections to prevent attackers from leveraging compromised applications as launch points for broader network attacks.