CVE-2023-0846 in Horizon
Summary
by MITRE • 02/22/2023
Unauthenticated, stored cross-site scripting in the display of alarm reduction keys in multiple versions of OpenNMS Horizon and Meridian could allow an attacker access to confidential session information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0846 represents a critical security flaw in OpenNMS Horizon and Meridian platforms that affects the display of alarm reduction keys. This issue manifests as an unauthenticated stored cross-site scripting vulnerability, meaning that attackers can inject malicious scripts into the system that persist and execute without requiring authentication credentials. The vulnerability specifically targets the user interface components responsible for displaying alarm reduction keys, which are typically used by system administrators to manage and filter alarm notifications within the monitoring environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the web application's rendering components. When alarm reduction keys are processed and displayed in the user interface, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before incorporating it into HTML output. This allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that gets stored within the application's database or configuration files. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious scripts remain persistent and will execute whenever the affected interface elements are rendered, affecting all users who view the compromised alarm reduction key displays. This flaw aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, and demonstrates how improper input handling can lead to persistent script injection attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-0846 extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with access to confidential session information that could compromise the entire monitoring infrastructure. Since the vulnerability is unauthenticated, attackers can exploit it without requiring valid login credentials, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on OpenNMS for critical infrastructure monitoring. The session information accessed through this vulnerability could include authentication tokens, user permissions, and other sensitive data that would allow attackers to escalate their privileges within the system. This represents a significant threat to the confidentiality and integrity of the monitoring environment, as attackers could potentially gain unauthorized access to critical network monitoring data and system controls. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which covers "Modify System Image" and T1078 which covers "Valid Accounts" by enabling unauthorized access through session hijacking.
Organizations utilizing OpenNMS Horizon or Meridian platforms should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability, including applying the latest security patches provided by the OpenNMS development team. Until patches are applied, administrators should consider implementing network-level restrictions to limit access to the affected web interfaces, particularly from untrusted networks. Input validation controls should be strengthened at the application level to ensure all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before display, with particular attention to alarm reduction key configurations. Additionally, organizations should monitor their systems for any suspicious activity related to alarm management interfaces and implement enhanced logging to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper output encoding and input validation in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive operational data in monitoring and management contexts. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to provide additional protection against cross-site scripting attacks while permanent fixes are being deployed, as this vulnerability could potentially be leveraged to escalate privileges and gain deeper access to the underlying network infrastructure being monitored by OpenNMS platforms.