CVE-2020-5317 in ECS
Summary
by MITRE
Dell EMC ECS versions prior to 3.4.0.1 contain an XSS vulnerability. A remote authenticated malicious user could exploit this vulnerability to store malicious HTML or JavaScript code in a trusted application data store. When victim users access the 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 • 03/28/2024
The CVE-2020-5317 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in Dell EMC Elastic Cloud Storage (ECS) software versions before 3.4.0.1. This vulnerability operates within the web-based management interface of the storage platform, creating a persistent threat vector that allows attackers to inject malicious code into the system's data store. The flaw specifically affects the application's handling of user-supplied input within data storage mechanisms, where proper sanitization and validation procedures are insufficient to prevent malicious content from being stored and subsequently executed.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the ECS management console's data handling processes. When authenticated users interact with the system's storage management features, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-provided data before storing it within the trusted application data store. This weakness creates a persistent XSS attack surface where malicious actors can inject HTML or JavaScript code that remains dormant until accessed by other users. The vulnerability exists at the application layer and specifically impacts the web interface components responsible for data presentation and user interaction within the ECS environment.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations utilizing Dell EMC ECS storage solutions. The attack requires only authenticated access to the system, meaning that adversaries with legitimate user credentials could exploit this flaw to compromise other users within the same administrative domain. When victim users access the compromised data store through their browsers, the malicious code executes in the context of the vulnerable web application, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions, or redirect users to malicious sites. This persistent nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious code remains active until the affected data is removed or the system is updated, creating ongoing exposure for organizations.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the vendor-provided security patches, enabling proper input validation controls, and conducting thorough security assessments of the affected systems. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring of user activities within the ECS environment can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The remediation process requires updating to Dell EMC ECS version 3.4.0.1 or later, which includes proper input sanitization mechanisms and enhanced validation procedures to prevent malicious code injection into the application's data storage components.