CVE-2020-16847 in Extreme Management Center
Summary
by MITRE
Extreme Analytics in Extreme Management Center before 8.5.0.169 allows unauthenticated reflected XSS via a parameter in a GET request, aka CFD-4887.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/05/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-16847 represents a critical security flaw within Extreme Management Center's Extreme Analytics component, specifically affecting versions prior to 8.5.0.169. This issue manifests as an unauthenticated reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability that can be exploited through parameter manipulation in GET requests, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors seeking to compromise the system. The vulnerability falls under the broader category of web application security flaws that can lead to unauthorized access and data manipulation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the Extreme Analytics module. When a malicious user crafts a specially formatted GET request containing crafted script payloads, the application fails to properly sanitize the input parameters before reflecting them back in the HTTP response. This reflected XSS occurs because the application directly incorporates user-supplied data into web pages without appropriate sanitization or encoding mechanisms. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. An attacker could craft malicious links that, when clicked by an authenticated user, would execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the victim's browser context. This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive network management functions, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate network configurations or extract confidential information. The unauthenticated nature of the vulnerability means that attackers do not require valid credentials to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in environments where the management interface is accessible from untrusted networks.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers social engineering through malicious links and payloads. The attack vector typically involves phishing campaigns where users are tricked into clicking malicious links that exploit the reflected XSS vulnerability. The attack chain could involve initial reconnaissance through network scanning to identify vulnerable systems, followed by crafting of malicious payloads that leverage the specific parameter handling flaw. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader attack surface that includes other potential entry points within the Extreme Management Center platform.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Extreme Management Center version 8.5.0.169 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of the management interface to untrusted networks. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and input validation mechanisms can provide additional layers of protection. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding practices, which are fundamental requirements in secure software development and align with industry standards such as OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues within other web applications and components of the network infrastructure.