CVE-2018-19772 in VistaPortal SE
Summary
by MITRE
Cross Site Scripting exists in InfoVista VistaPortal SE Version 5.1 (build 51029). The page "EditCurrentPresentSpace.jsp" has reflected XSS via the ConnPoolName, GroupId, and ParentId parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2018-19772 represents a critical cross site scripting flaw in InfoVista VistaPortal SE Version 5.1, specifically within the EditCurrentPresentSpace.jsp page. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security weaknesses. The flaw manifests when user-supplied input is reflected back to the browser without proper sanitization or encoding, creating an avenue for attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability affects three specific parameters: ConnPoolName, GroupId, and ParentId, which are all susceptible to reflected XSS attacks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input containing script code and injects it through any of the three vulnerable parameters. When the web application processes these parameters and reflects them back in the page response without proper HTML encoding, the injected scripts execute in the context of the victim's browser session. This creates a persistent threat where authenticated users could unknowingly execute malicious code, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects parameters used in portal configuration and management interfaces, which are typically accessed by privileged users with elevated permissions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities within the context of the vulnerable application. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or inject malicious content that could compromise the entire portal environment. The reflected nature of the XSS means that the attack payload must be delivered through a crafted URL or form submission, making it difficult to detect through automated scanning tools. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations using InfoVista VistaPortal SE for network management and monitoring, where the portal typically serves as a central point for administrative access and system configuration.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, starting with immediate patching of the affected InfoVista VistaPortal SE version. The recommended mitigation strategy includes implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, specifically ensuring that all user-supplied parameters are sanitized before being reflected back to the browser. According to the ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability aligns with technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for credential access through social engineering. Security measures should include implementing Content Security Policy headers, using proper HTML encoding functions, and conducting regular security assessments of web applications. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit the potential impact if an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in web applications and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing throughout the software development lifecycle.