CVE-2021-38119 in iManager
Summary
by MITRE • 11/22/2024
Possible Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Vulnerability
in iManager has been discovered in OpenText™ iManager 3.2.4.0000.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-38119 represents a reflected cross-site scripting issue within OpenText™ iManager version 3.2.4.0000, classified under CWE-79 as a weakness in web application input validation. This vulnerability arises from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input parameters that are subsequently reflected back to users within the application's response. The affected iManager system fails to properly encode or escape dynamic content before rendering it in web pages, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject client-side scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious script is not stored on the server but is instead reflected off the web server in response to a crafted request, making it particularly challenging to detect and prevent through traditional server-side validation alone.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of HTTP request parameters within the iManager application's web interface. When users submit requests containing malicious payloads through URL parameters or form fields, the application processes these inputs without adequate validation or output encoding mechanisms. This flaw allows attackers to construct malicious URLs that, when clicked by unsuspecting users, cause the browser to execute the injected script code. The attack typically involves crafting specially formatted input that bypasses existing security controls and gets rendered directly into web page content, enabling the execution of arbitrary JavaScript code within the victim's browser session. The vulnerability affects the application's authentication and authorization mechanisms, potentially allowing attackers to hijack user sessions or perform unauthorized actions on behalf of legitimate users.
The operational impact of this reflected XSS vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, potentially compromising the entire security posture of the iManager system. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, perform actions within the application as authenticated users, or redirect victims to malicious websites that further exploit the compromised session. The vulnerability's presence in the iManager platform, which serves as a critical enterprise content management and collaboration tool, creates significant risk for organizations relying on this system for business operations. The reflected nature of the attack means that the vulnerability can be exploited through social engineering techniques such as phishing emails containing malicious links, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may not be adequately trained to identify suspicious web content. Additionally, the vulnerability could be chained with other exploits to escalate privileges or access sensitive data within the iManager system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-38119 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the iManager application. Organizations should deploy proper parameter validation that filters or sanitizes all user-supplied input before processing, ensuring that potentially dangerous characters and script tags are removed or encoded. The implementation of Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded and executed within the application. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities within the application's codebase. The affected OpenText iManager version 3.2.4.0000 should be updated to the latest available patch release that addresses this specific XSS vulnerability, as provided by OpenText through their security advisory channels. Organizations should also consider implementing Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules specifically designed to detect and block known XSS attack patterns targeting the iManager application, particularly focusing on the identified parameter injection vectors that lead to reflected script execution.