CVE-2020-11696 in iTop Essential
Summary
by MITRE
In Combodo iTop a menu shortcut name can be exploited with a stored XSS payload. This is fixed in all iTop packages (community, essential, professional) in version 2.7.0 and iTop essential and iTop professional in version 2.6.4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/22/2020
The vulnerability CVE-2020-11696 represents a stored cross-site scripting flaw in the Combodo iTop IT service management platform that specifically targets menu shortcut names. This issue allows authenticated attackers with sufficient privileges to inject malicious javascript code into the menu shortcut naming functionality, which then gets executed when other users view the affected menu items. The vulnerability exists within the input validation and output encoding mechanisms of the iTop application's user interface components, particularly in how the system processes and renders user-defined menu shortcut labels.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a stored XSS attack vector where malicious payloads are persisted in the application's database and subsequently rendered in the user interface without proper sanitization. When legitimate users access pages containing the compromised menu shortcuts, their browsers execute the injected javascript code within the context of their authenticated sessions. This creates a significant security risk as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform session hijacking, steal authentication tokens, redirect users to malicious websites, or execute arbitrary commands on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability maps to CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into web pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can be leveraged for privilege escalation and persistent access within the iTop environment. An attacker with access to menu shortcut configuration capabilities can establish a foothold that persists across user sessions and system restarts. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where iTop serves as a central IT service management platform. The affected versions include community, essential, and professional editions, indicating the vulnerability affects the core application functionality rather than specific modules. The fix implemented in versions 2.7.0 for community edition and 2.6.4 for essential and professional editions demonstrates the severity of the issue, requiring immediate patching across all affected deployment scenarios. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, as it enables attackers to execute malicious javascript code within the victim's browser context. Organizations using iTop should prioritize this patch deployment as the stored nature of the vulnerability means that once exploited, the malicious code will continue to execute for all affected users until the underlying input validation is corrected.
The remediation strategy for CVE-2020-11696 requires immediate deployment of the patched versions across all iTop installations. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and monitor system logs for suspicious activities related to menu shortcut modifications. Security teams should implement additional input validation measures and consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block similar XSS attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper output encoding and input sanitization in web applications, particularly in administrative interfaces where users can modify system configuration elements. Regular security testing and code reviews should be implemented to prevent similar issues in other application components, ensuring that user-supplied data is properly validated before being rendered in web contexts.