CVE-2023-39516 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE-2023-39516 article provides detailed information about a Stored Cross-Site-Scripting (XSS) vulnerability found in Cacti, affecting versions prior to 1.2.25.

Understanding CVE-2023-39516

Cacti, an open-source operational monitoring and fault management framework, is impacted by a Stored Cross-Site-Scripting vulnerability that enables authenticated users to inject malicious script code into the database, potentially leading to code execution in the victim's browser.

What is CVE-2023-39516?

Cacti version < 1.2.25 is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site-Scripting (XSS) attacks, allowing users with specific permissions to inject malicious scripts into the database and execute them in the context of administrative accounts.

The Impact of CVE-2023-39516

This vulnerability can be exploited by attackers to execute JavaScript code within the victim's browser, jeopardizing the security and integrity of the Cacti application and potentially compromising sensitive data.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-39516

The vulnerability lies in the

data_sources.php

script used for managing data sources in Cacti, where adversaries can manipulate data source paths to launch stored XSS attacks.

Vulnerability Description

Authenticated users with 'General Administration>Sites/Devices/Data' permissions can configure data source paths susceptible to stored XSS attacks. Adversaries can insert malicious scripts that get executed when viewed by administrative accounts.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects Cacti versions earlier than 1.2.25, exposing users to the risk of stored XSS attacks.

Exploitation Mechanism

By manipulating data source paths through

http://<HOST>/cacti/data_sources.php

, attackers can inject scripts that will execute when viewed, compromising user data and system integrity.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-39516, users are strongly advised to update their Cacti installations to version 1.2.25 immediately. For users unable to upgrade, manual escaping of HTML output is recommended to mitigate the risk of XSS attacks.