CVE-2019-5314 in ArubaOS
Summary
by MITRE
Some web components in the ArubaOS software are vulnerable to HTTP Response splitting (CRLF injection) and Reflected XSS. An attacker would be able to accomplish this by sending certain URL parameters that would trigger this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/24/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-5314 affects web components within ArubaOS software, representing a critical security weakness that combines multiple attack vectors. This flaw resides in the web interface components of the network operating system, which are commonly exposed to external traffic and user interaction. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the web application layer, allowing malicious actors to manipulate HTTP request parameters and potentially execute unauthorized actions. The presence of both HTTP Response splitting and Reflected XSS vulnerabilities within the same component demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the application's security architecture and data handling processes.
HTTP Response splitting represents a sophisticated attack technique where an adversary injects carriage return line feed (CRLF) sequences into HTTP response headers, enabling them to inject malicious content that can be interpreted as separate HTTP responses. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-113, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of CRLF sequences in HTTP headers, making it particularly dangerous in web applications that rely on dynamic content generation. The reflected XSS component allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the victim's browser when the page is loaded, with the attack payload being reflected from the web server back to the user agent. This dual vulnerability creates a particularly dangerous scenario where an attacker could potentially use the response splitting to bypass security controls and then inject persistent XSS payloads that could compromise user sessions and steal sensitive information.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-5314 extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with a pathway to execute more sophisticated attacks within the network environment. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could manipulate web responses to redirect users to malicious sites, inject malicious content into legitimate web pages, or even establish persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure. The reflected XSS component specifically targets user sessions and could enable session hijacking, credential theft, or privilege escalation within the ArubaOS management interface. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for script injection and T1566 for phishing attacks, as attackers could leverage the reflected XSS to deliver malicious payloads that appear legitimate to users. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction, as simply clicking a malicious URL parameter is sufficient to trigger the attack, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users may encounter such links through social engineering campaigns or compromised web applications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-5314 must address both the HTTP Response splitting and Reflected XSS vulnerabilities through comprehensive input validation, output encoding, and proper header sanitization. Organizations should implement strict input validation mechanisms that filter or reject any CRLF sequences in HTTP headers and URL parameters, while also applying proper output encoding to prevent script execution in web responses. The ArubaOS software should be updated to the latest available version that includes patches addressing these specific vulnerabilities, as the vendor has likely released security updates to remediate these issues. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of vulnerable web components to untrusted networks, while also deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious CRLF injection attempts. Additionally, security awareness training should be conducted to educate users about the risks of clicking suspicious links and the importance of verifying URLs before interaction. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be performed to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities within the network infrastructure, ensuring that the web components maintain proper security boundaries and do not expose sensitive functionality to unauthorized access.