This article is a part of our Vulnerability Database (back to index)
Cross-site Scripting occurrences in Security Analytics
The Symantec Security Analytics (SA) 7.x prior to 7.3.4 Web UI is susceptible to a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability. A remote attacker with knowledge of the SA web UI hostname or IP address can craft a malicious URL for the SA web UI and target SA web UI users with phishing attacks or other social engineering techniques. A successful attack allows injecting malicious JavaScript code into the SA web UI client application. (2018-11-27, CVE-2018-12241)
Why Cross-site Scripting can be dangerous
Cross site scripting is an attack where a web page executes code that is injected by an adversary. It usually appears, when users input is presented. This attack can be used to impersonate a user, take over control of the session, or even steal API keys.
The attack can be executed e.g. when you application injects the request parameter directly into the HTML code of the page returned to the user:
https://server.com/confirmation?message=Transaction+Complete
what results in:
<span>Confirmation: Transaction Complete</span>
In that case the message can be modified to become a valid Javascript code, e.g.:
https://server.com/confirmation?message=<script>dangerous javascript code here</script>
and it will be executed locally by the user's browser with full access to the user's personal application/browser data:
<span>Confirmation: <script>dangerous javascript code here</script></span>