CVE-2018-19813 in VistaPortal SE
Summary
by MITRE
Cross Site Scripting exists in InfoVista VistaPortal SE Version 5.1 (build 51029). The page "/VPortal/mgtconsole/Subscribers.jsp" has reflected XSS via the ConnPoolName or GroupId parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-19813 represents a critical cross site scripting flaw within InfoVista VistaPortal SE Version 5.1 build 51029. This security weakness manifests in the management console's Subscribers.jsp page where user input parameters are inadequately sanitized before being reflected back to the browser. The vulnerability specifically affects the ConnPoolName and GroupId parameters which are processed without proper output encoding or validation mechanisms, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary script code into the web application's response.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied input values. When the application receives the ConnPoolName or GroupId parameters through the Subscribers.jsp page, it directly incorporates these values into the HTML response without appropriate sanitization measures. This reflected XSS condition allows attackers to craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers who visit the vulnerable page. The vulnerability maps to CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross Site Scripting flaws in web applications, where the application fails to properly validate input or encode output, leading to script execution in the victim's browser context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection as it can be leveraged for session hijacking, credential theft, and privilege escalation within the application's context. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payload must be delivered through a crafted URL that the victim clicks, making social engineering a critical component of the attack vector. This vulnerability particularly affects the management console functionality of the VistaPortal SE system, potentially compromising administrative access and sensitive subscriber information stored within the application.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The application should sanitize all user-supplied parameters through strict input validation that rejects or removes potentially malicious characters before processing. Implementing proper output encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding for the ConnPoolName and GroupId parameters before including them in the HTML response will prevent script execution. Additionally, the application should implement a Content Security Policy (CSP) header to further limit script execution capabilities and prevent unauthorized code injection. Organizations should also consider implementing the principle of least privilege by restricting access to the management console and implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative functions. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers 'Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript' and T1531 which addresses 'Account Access Removal', emphasizing the need for comprehensive defensive measures including regular security assessments and patch management protocols to prevent exploitation of such reflected XSS vulnerabilities.