CVE-2022-26951 in Archer
Summary
by MITRE • 03/30/2022
Archer 6.x through 6.10 (6.10.0.0) contains a reflected XSS vulnerability. A remote SAML-unauthenticated malicious Archer user could potentially exploit this vulnerability by tricking a victim application user into supplying malicious HTML or JavaScript code to the vulnerable web application; the malicious code is then reflected back to the victim and gets executed by the web browser in the context of the vulnerable web application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/01/2022
The CVE-2022-26951 vulnerability represents a critical reflected cross-site scripting flaw within the Archer platform version 6.x through 6.10.0.0, specifically affecting the SAML authentication framework. This vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web application's response handling process, creating an exploitable entry point for malicious actors who can manipulate application parameters to inject malicious code. The flaw exists in the way the application processes and reflects user-supplied input back to web browsers without proper sanitization or encoding, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of a victim's browser session.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a carefully crafted SAML authentication flow where a malicious user can construct specially formatted requests that contain malicious JavaScript payloads. When an unsuspecting victim interacts with the vulnerable Archer application, typically through a shared link or intercepted SAML response, the malicious code becomes embedded in the application's response and gets executed by the victim's browser. This type of attack leverages the fundamental principle of reflected XSS where the malicious script is not stored on the server but is instead reflected back from the web application in response to a user's request. The vulnerability specifically targets the SAML authentication mechanism, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited even when users are not authenticated, as the flaw exists in the application's handling of unauthenticated SAML parameters.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the Archer application environment. Attackers can potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, modify application content, or even gain unauthorized access to sensitive data stored within the Archer platform. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access to the network or direct system compromise, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on Archer for critical business processes and data management. The reflected nature of the vulnerability also means that the attack can be delivered through various vectors including email phishing, compromised web links, or social engineering campaigns that trick users into clicking malicious URLs.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, including immediate patching of affected Archer versions, implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. The mitigation strategy should also include user education regarding the dangers of clicking unknown links and implementing strict access controls for SAML authentication endpoints. From a security framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and it maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering attacks that can lead to credential compromise. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications and ensure that input validation mechanisms are consistently applied across all user-facing interfaces. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers and using proper HTTP response headers can provide additional protection against reflected XSS attacks by limiting the execution of unauthorized scripts within the application context.