CVE-2018-19822 in VistaPortal SE
Summary
by MITRE
Cross Site Scripting exists in InfoVista VistaPortal SE Version 5.1 (build 51029). The page "/VPortal/mgtconsole/SharedCriteria.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-2018-19822 represents a cross site scripting flaw in InfoVista VistaPortal SE Version 5.1, specifically affecting the management console component. This issue manifests in the SharedCriteria.jsp page which fails to properly sanitize user input parameters, creating an avenue for malicious script execution within the context of the vulnerable application. The vulnerability is classified as reflected XSS, meaning that malicious input is immediately reflected back to users without proper encoding or validation mechanisms. Attackers can exploit this weakness by injecting malicious JavaScript code through the ConnPoolName or GroupId parameters, which are then executed in the victim's browser when the page is rendered. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices within the application's web interface, particularly in the management console section where administrative users interact with system configuration parameters.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious payloads and injects them into the ConnPoolName or GroupId parameters of the SharedCriteria.jsp page. When the vulnerable application processes these parameters and reflects them back in the HTTP response without proper sanitization, the injected JavaScript code becomes executable within the browser context of authenticated users. This reflected XSS vulnerability allows attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, and potential privilege escalation within the application. The vulnerability affects the management console functionality of the VistaPortal SE system, which typically requires administrative privileges to access, making the potential impact more severe as attackers could gain elevated access to system configuration parameters.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-19822 extends beyond simple script execution as it compromises the integrity of the web application's user interface and potentially the entire administrative environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can manipulate the management console interface to redirect users to malicious websites, steal session cookies, or inject additional malicious code that could persist across user sessions. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations using InfoVista VistaPortal SE Version 5.1 as it represents a critical security gap in the application's input handling mechanisms. The reflected nature of the XSS means that the attack vector is typically delivered through social engineering techniques where users are tricked into clicking malicious links containing the exploit payloads, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrators regularly interact with external links or email communications.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability including immediate patching of the affected InfoVista VistaPortal SE system to the latest available version that addresses this XSS flaw. Input validation and output encoding mechanisms should be strengthened throughout the application, particularly in the management console components where administrative parameters are processed. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded and executed. Regular security assessments and web application firewalls should be deployed to monitor and block suspicious requests targeting the vulnerable SharedCriteria.jsp page. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross site scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to initial access through web application attacks and privilege escalation through session manipulation. Organizations should also consider implementing proper security awareness training for administrators to recognize and avoid social engineering attempts that could leverage this vulnerability. The fix should include comprehensive input sanitization of all parameters received by the SharedCriteria.jsp page and proper HTML encoding of reflected output to prevent malicious script execution in user browsers.