CVE-2018-12246 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Symantec Web Isolation (WI) version 1.11 before 1.11.21 is vulnerable to a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) attack, allowing remote attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code into end users' web browsers.

Understanding CVE-2018-12246

Symantec Web Isolation (WI) version 1.11 before 1.11.21 is susceptible to a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability.

What is CVE-2018-12246?

The vulnerability in Symantec Web Isolation allows attackers to manipulate URLs of legitimate websites to conduct social engineering attacks on end users protected by WI.

The Impact of CVE-2018-12246

Attackers can inject malicious JavaScript code into the rendered version of websites in users' web browsers.
The vulnerability does not allow code injection into the isolated version of the website running on the WI Threat Isolation Engine.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-12246

Symantec Web Isolation (WI) version 1.11 prior to 1.11.21 is affected by a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

Type: Cross-site scripting (XSS)
Attack Vector: Reflected XSS
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Symantec Web Isolation
Vendor: Symantec Corporation
Vulnerable Versions: 1.11 prior to 1.11.21

Exploitation Mechanism

Remote attackers can exploit the vulnerability by crafting URLs for legitimate websites to inject malicious JavaScript code into the rendered copy of the website in end users' web browsers.

Mitigation and Prevention

Symantec recommends the following steps to mitigate the CVE-2018-12246 vulnerability:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Symantec Web Isolation to version 1.11.21 or later.
Educate end users about the risks of clicking on suspicious links.
Implement URL filtering and validation mechanisms.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and audit web traffic for unusual patterns.
Conduct security awareness training for employees to recognize phishing attempts.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches and updates provided by Symantec to address the vulnerability.