CVE-2020-29535 in Archer
Summary
by MITRE • 01/29/2021
Archer before 6.8 P4 (6.8.0.4) contains a stored XSS vulnerability. A remote authenticated malicious Archer user could potentially exploit this vulnerability to store malicious HTML or JavaScript code in a trusted application data store. When application users access the corrupted data store through their browsers, the malicious code gets executed by the web browser in the context of the vulnerable web application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-29535 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within the Archer platform prior to version 6.8 P4. This security weakness allows authenticated attackers who have gained access to the Archer application to inject malicious code into the system's data storage mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically affects versions earlier than 6.8.0.4, indicating that Archer users operating on these older releases face significant risk from this exploit. The flaw exists within the application's data handling processes where user input is not properly sanitized before being stored in the backend database or application memory. When legitimate users subsequently access this compromised data through their web browsers, the malicious scripts execute within the context of the vulnerable web application, potentially compromising the security of the entire system.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. This stored XSS vulnerability occurs when the application fails to validate or escape user-supplied input before storing it in a persistent data store. The malicious code can be crafted to include JavaScript payloads or HTML content that will execute whenever users view the affected data. The attack requires an authenticated user account within the Archer environment, which means that the threat vector is primarily internal or involves an attacker who has already compromised legitimate credentials. This authentication requirement does not mitigate the risk significantly since once an attacker gains access to a valid account, they can leverage this vulnerability to escalate their privileges or compromise other users within the same environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption or unauthorized access. When malicious scripts execute within the context of the web application, they can potentially access sensitive user data, modify application behavior, or redirect users to malicious websites. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious code persists in the system and affects all users who access the compromised data, making it particularly dangerous in environments where Archer is used for sensitive information management. The vulnerability could enable attackers to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of legitimate users, or even establish persistent backdoors within the Archer application. Given that Archer is commonly used for security information and event management, the potential for data exfiltration and further system compromise is substantial.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to Archer version 6.8 P4 or later, which includes the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms can provide defense-in-depth measures against similar vulnerabilities. Security teams should conduct thorough assessments of their Archer environments to identify any existing malicious payloads that may have been previously injected. Regular security monitoring and user access controls should be reinforced to prevent unauthorized account access. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining current software versions and implementing proper security testing procedures before deploying updates to production environments. Organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional protection layers against XSS attacks, particularly in environments where legacy applications continue to operate.