CVE-2018-19769 in VistaPortal SE
Summary
by MITRE
Cross Site Scripting exists in InfoVista VistaPortal SE Version 5.1 (build 51029). The page "UserProperties.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-2018-19769 represents a critical cross site scripting flaw within InfoVista VistaPortal SE Version 5.1, specifically manifesting in the UserProperties.jsp page through the ConnPoolName parameter. This issue falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross Site Scripting, which is a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's parameter handling process.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload and injects it through the ConnPoolName parameter in the UserProperties.jsp page. When the vulnerable application reflects this input back to the user without proper sanitization or encoding, the injected script executes within the victim's browser context. This reflected XSS vulnerability enables attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. The vulnerability specifically affects the web application's user interface components where connection pool names are displayed, creating an attack surface that can be leveraged for persistent malicious activities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can be exploited to compromise user sessions and potentially escalate privileges within the application. Attackers can craft sophisticated phishing campaigns that appear legitimate to users, leveraging the reflected nature of the vulnerability to bypass security controls that might otherwise detect malicious scripts. The vulnerability's presence in a portal application suggests potential access to sensitive enterprise data, user credentials, and system configurations that could be exploited for lateral movement within the network. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where portal applications serve as central access points for various business systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-19769 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user-supplied input, particularly parameters like ConnPoolName, through proper encoding before rendering them in web pages. This approach aligns with the OWASP Top Ten security practices and ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit script execution sources and deploy web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. Additionally, regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. The affected version of InfoVista VistaPortal SE should be updated to the latest patched release, as vendors typically provide security patches that address such reflected XSS vulnerabilities through proper input handling and output encoding mechanisms.