CVE-2018-7678 in NetIQ Access Manager
Summary
by MITRE
A cross site scripting vulnerability exist in the Administration Console in NetIQ Access Manager (NAM) 4.3 and 4.4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2023
The CVE-2018-7678 vulnerability represents a critical cross site scripting flaw discovered in NetIQ Access Manager versions 4.3 and 4.4, specifically affecting the Administration Console component. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is a widespread and well-documented web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious client-side scripts into web applications. The flaw exists within the administrative interface of the NetIQ Access Manager system, which serves as a crucial identity and access management solution for enterprise environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the Administration Console's handling of user-supplied data. When administrators or authenticated users interact with the console, malicious scripts can be injected through parameters or fields that are not properly sanitized before being rendered in the web interface. This allows an attacker to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially compromising the administrative privileges and access controls that the NetIQ Access Manager is designed to enforce. The vulnerability specifically affects the web-based administrative interface, making it exploitable through standard web browser interactions without requiring elevated system privileges.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-7678 is severe for organizations relying on NetIQ Access Manager for identity and access management. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to the administration console, potentially leading to full system compromise, data exfiltration, or disruption of access control services. The attack vector typically involves social engineering to trick administrators into clicking malicious links or submitting crafted input through the web interface, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrators frequently interact with web-based management tools. This vulnerability directly impacts the principle of least privilege and could enable attackers to escalate their privileges within the access management infrastructure, potentially affecting thousands of user accounts and access policies managed by the system.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates for NetIQ Access Manager versions 4.3 and 4.4, as well as implementing additional security controls such as web application firewalls and enhanced input validation measures. Network segmentation and monitoring of administrative console access should be strengthened to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for credential access through social engineering, making it a significant concern for enterprise security teams. Regular security assessments and penetration testing of administrative interfaces should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the identity management infrastructure. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative access and establishing robust incident response procedures to address potential exploitation of this and similar cross-site scripting vulnerabilities.