CVE-2018-8605 in Dynamics 365
Summary
by MITRE
A cross site scripting vulnerability exists when Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) version 8 does not properly sanitize a specially crafted web request to an affected Dynamics server, aka "Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) version 8 Cross Site Scripting Vulnerability." This affects Microsoft Dynamics 365. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2018-8606, CVE-2018-8607, CVE-2018-8608.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2020
The vulnerability described in CVE-2018-8605 represents a critical cross site scripting flaw within Microsoft Dynamics 365 on-premises version 8 deployments. This weakness stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the web application's request processing pipeline, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary script code into web responses. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the Dynamics server fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input from crafted web requests, creating an attack vector that can be exploited by remote adversaries without authentication requirements. Such a flaw fundamentally undermines the security posture of on-premises Dynamics 365 installations and poses significant risks to organizations relying on this enterprise resource planning platform.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of web requests sent to the affected Dynamics server, where malicious input is not adequately filtered or escaped before being rendered in web responses. This improper sanitization allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute within the context of legitimate user sessions, potentially enabling session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized system access. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-79 indicates a classic cross site scripting weakness where the application fails to properly validate or escape user-controllable data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that Dynamics 365 serves as a comprehensive business management solution handling sensitive financial, customer, and operational data across enterprise environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution to encompass potential data breaches, system compromise, and business disruption. An attacker exploiting this flaw could gain access to sensitive customer information, manipulate business processes, or escalate privileges within the Dynamics 365 environment. The on-premises deployment model exacerbates the risk as organizations typically have less centralized control over patching and security updates compared to cloud-based solutions. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering and credential access through web-based attacks, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Dynamics 365 systems often contain critical business information and are integrated with other enterprise applications.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the official Microsoft security patches released in response to this CVE, implementing web application firewalls with XSS detection capabilities, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of their Dynamics 365 deployments. Network segmentation and monitoring of web traffic can help detect exploitation attempts, while user education on recognizing phishing attempts that may leverage this vulnerability remains crucial. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding practices in web applications, aligning with security standards that emphasize the need for defense-in-depth approaches to protect against common web-based attack vectors. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be implemented to identify similar weaknesses in other enterprise applications that may be similarly exposed to cross site scripting attacks.