CVE-2018-10061 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
Learn about CVE-2018-10061, a Cross-site Scripting vulnerability in Cacti versions prior to 1.1.37. Understand the impact, affected systems, exploitation mechanism, and mitigation steps.
Cacti before version 1.1.37 is susceptible to XSS (Cross-site Scripting) attacks due to certain htmlspecialchars calls lacking the ENT_QUOTES flag. This vulnerability arises when the html_escape function in lib/html.php is not utilized.
Understanding CVE-2018-10061
This CVE entry highlights a security issue in Cacti that could potentially expose systems to XSS attacks.
What is CVE-2018-10061?
CVE-2018-10061 is a vulnerability in Cacti versions prior to 1.1.37 that allows for Cross-site Scripting attacks due to inadequate handling of certain htmlspecialchars calls.
The Impact of CVE-2018-10061
The vulnerability could be exploited by attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by users, leading to potential data theft or unauthorized actions.
Technical Details of CVE-2018-10061
This section delves into the specifics of the vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
The XSS vulnerability in Cacti stems from the absence of the ENT_QUOTES flag in specific htmlspecialchars calls, particularly when the html_escape function in lib/html.php is not employed.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: Cacti
- Vendor: N/A
- Versions Affected: All versions prior to 1.1.37
Exploitation Mechanism
Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by injecting malicious scripts into web pages, taking advantage of the XSS weakness in Cacti.
Mitigation and Prevention
Protecting systems from CVE-2018-10061 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Upgrade Cacti to version 1.1.37 or newer to mitigate the XSS vulnerability.
- Implement input validation and output encoding to prevent XSS attacks.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update and patch Cacti to address security vulnerabilities promptly.
- Educate users and administrators on safe browsing practices to minimize the risk of XSS attacks.
- Employ web application firewalls to filter and block malicious traffic.
- Conduct security audits and penetration testing to identify and remediate vulnerabilities.
Patching and Updates
Stay informed about security updates and patches released by Cacti to address vulnerabilities like CVE-2018-10061.