CVE-2018-19649 in VistaPortal SE
Summary
by MITRE
XSS exists in InfoVista VistaPortal SE Version 5.1 (build 51029). VPortal/mgtconsole/RolePermissions.jsp has reflected XSS via the ConnPoolName parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-19649 represents a reflected cross-site scripting flaw within InfoVista VistaPortal SE version 5.1 build 51029. This security weakness specifically manifests in the VPortal/mgtconsole/RolePermissions.jsp web page component where user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to the browser. The vulnerability occurs when the ConnPoolName parameter is passed through the HTTP request and subsequently reflected in the web response without adequate output encoding or validation mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this reflected XSS vulnerability stems from the application's failure to implement proper input validation and output sanitization controls. When a malicious user crafts a specially formatted HTTP request containing malicious script code within the ConnPoolName parameter, the web application processes this input and reflects it directly into the HTTP response without appropriate HTML encoding or script context escaping. This creates an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that executes within the victim's browser context when the page is rendered.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking. An attacker could leverage this reflected XSS to perform a variety of malicious activities including but not limited to stealing user authentication tokens, redirecting users to malicious websites, defacing the application interface, or establishing persistent backdoors through more sophisticated attack vectors. The vulnerability affects the management console functionality of the VistaPortal SE system, potentially compromising administrative access and sensitive operational data. Given that this affects the role permissions management interface, successful exploitation could lead to privilege escalation or unauthorized access to critical system configuration settings.
Security practitioners should recognize this vulnerability as a classic example of CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-site Scripting flaws in web applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a technique for 'Command and Scripting Interpreter' and 'Web Shell' execution paths, where reflected XSS serves as an initial access vector for more complex attack chains. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation controls, proper output encoding of all user-supplied data, and regular security assessments of web application components. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive web application firewall rules to prevent exploitation of such reflected XSS vulnerabilities in enterprise management consoles.
The remediation approach should include implementing strict parameter validation for the ConnPoolName input field, applying HTML encoding to all output generated from user-supplied data, and ensuring that the application follows secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top 10 and NIST guidelines. Additionally, regular security training for developers and implementation of automated security scanning tools can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future versions of the application. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to add an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks, though this should not be considered a substitute for proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms.