CVE-2022-35224 in Enterprise Portal
Summary
by MITRE • 07/13/2022
SAP Enterprise Portal - versions 7.10, 7.11, 7.20, 7.30, 7.31, 7.40, 7.50, does not sufficiently encode user-controlled inputs, resulting in Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability. This attack can be used to non-permanently deface or modify portal content. The execution of script content by a victim registered on the portal could compromise the confidentiality and integrity of victim?s web browser session.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-35224 affects SAP Enterprise Portal versions 7.10 through 7.50, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's web interface. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as cross-site scripting. The flaw exists in how the portal processes user-supplied data that gets rendered back to web browsers without proper sanitization, creating an attack vector that allows malicious actors to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when user-controlled inputs are not adequately encoded before being displayed in the portal's user interface components. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input strings containing script tags or other executable code that gets processed by the portal's rendering engine. The vulnerability specifically impacts the portal's content management and user interaction features where dynamic content is generated based on user inputs, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users regularly interact with portal applications. When victims access pages containing the maliciously injected scripts, their browsers execute the code within the context of their authenticated sessions, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized modifications to the portal content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple content defacement, as it compromises the fundamental security posture of enterprise portals that rely on user authentication and session management. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can leverage the victim's authenticated browser session to perform actions that the legitimate user is authorized to perform, potentially accessing sensitive corporate data or modifying portal configurations. The non-permanent nature of the defacement does not diminish the severity of the threat, as the vulnerability enables persistent exploitation through session manipulation and can be combined with other attack vectors to establish more comprehensive compromises. The attack surface is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where portal applications serve as central access points for business-critical applications and data repositories, making the potential impact on confidentiality and integrity significant.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-facing portal components. Organizations should implement comprehensive content security policies that enforce strict sanitization of all user inputs before rendering them in web pages, utilizing established encoding libraries and frameworks that can properly handle various script injection attempts. The remediation process must include thorough code reviews and security testing of portal components to identify all potential injection points, with particular attention to dynamic content generation features and user interaction elements. Additionally, implementing proper web application firewall rules and security headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, while regular security awareness training for developers can help prevent similar encoding flaws in future portal modifications. Organizations should also consider implementing session management best practices including secure cookie attributes and regular session token rotation to minimize the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts.