CVE-2018-3821 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Kibana versions after 5.1.1 and before 5.6.7 and 6.1.3 had a vulnerability in their tag cloud visualization, allowing for cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks.

Understanding CVE-2018-3821

Versions of Kibana released during a specific range had a vulnerability that could be exploited for XSS attacks.

What is CVE-2018-3821?

CVE-2018-3821 is a vulnerability in Kibana versions that could enable malicious actors to execute XSS attacks through the tag cloud visualization.

The Impact of CVE-2018-3821

This vulnerability could potentially lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data or malicious activities on Kibana users' behalf.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-3821

Kibana's vulnerability and its implications.

Vulnerability Description

The XSS vulnerability in Kibana's tag cloud visualization allowed attackers to perform harmful actions.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Kibana
Vendor: Elastic
Versions Affected: after 5.1.1 and before 5.6.7 and 6.1.3

Exploitation Mechanism

Malicious actors could exploit the vulnerability to conduct cross-site scripting attacks, potentially compromising sensitive data.

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to address and prevent the CVE-2018-3821 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Kibana to a version beyond 5.6.7 or 6.1.3 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Implement web application firewalls to filter and block malicious traffic.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and audit web applications for vulnerabilities.
Educate users on safe browsing practices to prevent XSS attacks.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches promptly to ensure protection against known vulnerabilities.