CVE-2020-13183 in PCoIP Management Console
Summary
by MITRE
Reflected Cross Site Scripting in Teradici PCoIP Management Console prior to 20.07 could allow an attacker to take over the user's active session if the user is exposed to a malicious payload.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/18/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-13183 represents a critical reflected cross site scripting flaw within the Teradici PCoIP Management Console software. This vulnerability affects versions prior to 20.07 and poses significant security risks to organizations utilizing this remote desktop protocol management solution. The Teradici PCoIP Management Console serves as a centralized interface for managing and monitoring PCoIP connections, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise remote desktop environments. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input before reflecting it back in HTTP responses, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary script code into web pages viewed by authenticated users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the console's web interface. When user-supplied parameters are directly incorporated into HTTP responses without proper sanitization, attackers can craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that execute in the context of the victim's browser session. This reflected XSS vulnerability operates through a standard attack vector where an attacker constructs a malicious URL containing JavaScript code and delivers it to a victim through phishing emails, social engineering, or compromised web pages. The attack requires user interaction, specifically clicking on the malicious link while authenticated to the PCoIP Management Console, but once executed, the script runs with the privileges of the authenticated user.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables session hijacking and potential privilege escalation within the targeted environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can steal session cookies, impersonate legitimate users, and gain unauthorized access to sensitive management functions within the PCoIP console. This compromises the integrity of the remote desktop infrastructure and potentially provides access to underlying systems managed through the PCoIP protocol. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script execution and T1566 for phishing attacks. Organizations using the affected console versions face significant risk of unauthorized access to their remote desktop management capabilities, potentially leading to data breaches, system compromise, and disruption of critical remote work infrastructure.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate deployment of the patched version 20.07 or later, which addresses the input validation gaps that enable the reflected XSS attack. Organizations should also implement additional protective measures including web application firewalls, strict content security policies, and regular security assessments of the management console. Network segmentation and least privilege access controls can help minimize the impact if exploitation occurs, while user education about phishing threats and suspicious links remains crucial. Security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts through log analysis and implement proper input sanitization practices across all web applications to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other systems. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive security monitoring for management interfaces that handle sensitive administrative functions.