CVE-2025-12454 in Vertica
Summary
by MITRE • 03/13/2026
Improper neutralization of input during web page generation ('cross-site scripting') vulnerability in OpenText™ Vertica allows Reflected XSS. The vulnerability could lead to Reflected XSS attack of cross-site scripting in Vertica management console application.This issue affects Vertica: from 10.0 through 10.X, from 11.0 through 11.X, from 12.0 through 12.X, from 23.0 through 23.X, from 24.0 through 24.X, from 25.1.0 through 25.1.X.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2026
This cross-site scripting vulnerability exists within the OpenText Vertica database management system where input validation fails during web page generation processes. The flaw specifically manifests as a reflected XSS attack vector that occurs when user-supplied data is improperly handled in the management console application. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that are reflected back to users through the web interface, potentially executing arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the victim's browser session.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user input parameters that are directly incorporated into dynamically generated web content. When the Vertica management console processes requests containing unvalidated input, the system fails to properly escape or encode special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript markup. This improper neutralization creates an environment where malicious scripts can be injected and executed when the compromised page is rendered in a user's browser.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with the capability to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive authentication tokens, and potentially escalate privileges within the database management environment. Given that the management console typically requires administrative access, successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to critical database resources. The vulnerability affects multiple major versions of Vertica, indicating a widespread exposure across the product lineage from version 10.0 through 25.1.X, which increases the potential attack surface significantly.
Organizations utilizing affected Vertica versions face substantial risk from this vulnerability, as reflected XSS attacks can be delivered through various vectors including email phishing campaigns, malicious links in communication channels, or compromised web applications that interact with the Vertica console. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that database management consoles often contain sensitive operational data and administrative controls that could be leveraged for further attacks. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments and T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage in command and control communications.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems with the vendor-provided security updates. Organizations should also implement input validation and output encoding mechanisms at multiple layers including web application firewalls, reverse proxies, and application-level defenses. Network segmentation and privileged access controls can help limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications within the database infrastructure ecosystem. Additionally, security awareness training for administrators can help prevent social engineering attacks that might leverage this vulnerability for initial access into the system.