CVE-2018-18776 in Web
Summary
by MITRE
Microstrategy Web, version 7, does not sufficiently encode user-controlled inputs, resulting in a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability via the admin/admin.asp ShowAll parameter. NOTE: this is a deprecated product.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-18776 affects Microstrategy Web version 7, a deprecated business intelligence platform that has been superseded by newer versions. This particular vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw that exists within the administrative interface of the software, specifically in the admin/admin.asp page where the ShowAll parameter is processed without adequate input validation or output encoding. The issue stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic web content, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary script code into web pages viewed by other users.
This vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in web applications that allow attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The specific technical flaw manifests when the ShowAll parameter in the admin/admin.asp page receives unvalidated input, enabling attackers to craft malicious payloads that execute within the context of other users' browsers. The deprecated nature of this product means that the vendor has ceased support and security updates, leaving organizations that continue to use this software exposed to various attack vectors including this XSS vulnerability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform a range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration from authenticated administrative sessions. An attacker could potentially leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges within the application, gain access to sensitive administrative functions, or redirect users to malicious websites that could further compromise their systems. The administrative context of the vulnerable parameter increases the severity significantly since successful exploitation could provide attackers with full control over the Microstrategy Web environment and access to all data and configurations managed by the platform.
Organizations using this deprecated software should consider immediate mitigation strategies including network segmentation to restrict access to the vulnerable administrative interface, implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious script payloads, and conducting comprehensive security assessments to identify any additional vulnerabilities in the legacy environment. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1059.007 for Scripting and T1566 for Phishing, highlighting how attackers can leverage such flaws to establish persistent access and conduct further reconnaissance. Given that this is a deprecated product, the most effective long-term solution involves migrating to supported versions of the software that include proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, as well as implementing comprehensive security monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts.