CVE-2023-39366 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This article provides detailed information about CVE-2023-39366, a Stored Cross-site Scripting vulnerability in Cacti affecting versions prior to 1.2.25.

Understanding CVE-2023-39366

This section delves into the vulnerability, its impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2023-39366?

CVE-2023-39366 is a Stored Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Cacti, an open-source operational monitoring and fault management framework. The issue allows authenticated users to inject malicious scripts into the database, potentially affecting administrative accounts.

The Impact of CVE-2023-39366

The vulnerability enables an attacker to execute JavaScript code in the victim's browser through the 'data_sources.php' script, posing a risk of data manipulation and unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-39366

This section covers the specifics of the vulnerability, including its description, affected systems, and how attackers exploit it.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw arises from improper input neutralization in the 'Device-Name' field of the 'select' input, allowing attackers to conduct stored XSS attacks by manipulating device names within Cacti.

Affected Systems and Versions

Cacti versions prior to 1.2.25 are vulnerable to this exploit, potentially impacting users with broad privileges in the application.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers with the necessary permissions can configure a malicious device name using 'http://<HOST>/cacti/host.php' and trigger the XSS payload via 'http://<HOST>/cacti/data_sources.php'.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section outlines the immediate steps to take and long-term security practices to mitigate the risk posed by CVE-2023-39366.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are strongly advised to update to Cacti version 1.2.25 to eliminate the vulnerability. Alternatively, manual HTML output filtering can be employed to mitigate the risk.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor for security updates, employ secure coding practices, and restrict user privileges to minimize the impact of potential XSS attacks.

Patching and Updates

Refer to security advisories and vendor patches to stay informed about the latest security updates and vulnerability fixes.