CVE-2018-18807 in Statistica Server
Summary
by MITRE
The web application of the TIBCO Statistica component of TIBCO Software Inc.'s TIBCO Statistica Server contains vulnerabilities which may allow an authenticated user to perform cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. Affected releases are TIBCO Software Inc.'s TIBCO Statistica Server versions up to and including 13.4.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/11/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-18807 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the web application interface of TIBCO Statistica Server component. This security weakness affects versions up to and including 13.4.0 of the TIBCO Software Inc. product suite, exposing organizations that utilize this statistical analysis platform to potential malicious exploitation. The vulnerability specifically targets the web application layer of the TIBCO Statistica Server, which serves as the primary interface for users to interact with statistical analysis capabilities and data processing functions. The affected system architecture includes the web server component that handles user requests and displays statistical results, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise user sessions and access sensitive data.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the web application's user interface components. An authenticated user with valid credentials can exploit this flaw by injecting malicious scripts into input fields or parameters that are subsequently rendered in web pages without proper sanitization. This allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of legitimate users. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which classifies it as a cross-site scripting issue, specifically targeting the improper handling of user-supplied data in web applications. The flaw manifests when user-provided content containing malicious script tags is processed and displayed without adequate HTML escaping or content security policy enforcement.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-18807 extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to perform sophisticated attacks against the TIBCO Statistica Server environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can manipulate the web interface to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or access sensitive statistical data that users have processed through the application. The authenticated nature of the vulnerability means that attackers do not require privileged access to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have access to the statistical analysis platform. Organizations using this software may experience unauthorized data access, compromised user sessions, and potential data integrity issues that could affect business-critical statistical analyses and reporting processes. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers the use of malicious input to exploit web applications and T1071 which addresses application layer protocols including web applications.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches or updates that address this specific XSS vulnerability. The recommended approach involves upgrading to a patched version of TIBCO Statistica Server that properly validates and sanitizes user input before rendering it in web pages. Network segmentation and web application firewalls should be deployed to monitor and filter potentially malicious requests entering the web application interface. Additionally, implementing strict content security policies and disabling unnecessary user input fields can reduce the attack surface. Regular security assessments and input validation testing should be conducted to ensure that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other components of the TIBCO ecosystem. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current security practices and regularly updating enterprise software to protect against known exploitation techniques that target web application interfaces.