CVE-2018-19821 in VistaPortal SE
Summary
by MITRE
Cross Site Scripting exists in InfoVista VistaPortal SE Version 5.1 (build 51029). The page "/VPortal/mgtconsole/SecurityPolicies.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-2018-19821 represents a cross site scripting flaw in InfoVista VistaPortal SE Version 5.1, specifically within the management console interface. This issue manifests in the SecurityPolicies.jsp page where user input is not properly sanitized before being reflected back to the browser. The vulnerability occurs when the ConnPoolName parameter is processed without adequate validation or encoding, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary javascript code into the application's response. This particular version of VistaPortal SE builds upon the 51029 release and demonstrates a persistent security weakness in the application's input handling mechanisms that could be exploited by remote attackers.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which defines cross site scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding. The reflected nature of this XSS vulnerability means that malicious payloads are immediately reflected from the user input back to the victim's browser without being stored on the server. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the category of reflected XSS attacks where an attacker must convince a victim to click a malicious link containing the payload, typically through social engineering tactics or phishing campaigns. The specific parameter ConnPoolName serves as the attack vector, indicating that any input passed through this field could potentially be exploited to execute malicious javascript code within the context of the victim's browser session.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it provides attackers with the capability to manipulate the application's behavior and potentially access sensitive administrative functions. An attacker could craft a malicious URL containing javascript code that would execute when a victim navigates to the SecurityPolicies.jsp page with the malicious parameter. This could lead to unauthorized access to security policies, modification of connection pool configurations, or even complete compromise of the management console if the victim has administrative privileges. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the attack requires immediate user interaction, but once executed, could result in persistent unauthorized access to critical infrastructure management functions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The most effective immediate fix involves sanitizing all user inputs, particularly those parameters that are reflected back to the browser, through proper encoding techniques such as html entity encoding or javascript escaping. Additionally, implementing a content security policy can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded and executed. The application should also employ proper parameter validation to ensure that inputs match expected formats and lengths before processing. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious patterns in HTTP requests, and conduct regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security controls and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting through web applications.