CVE-2019-0374 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform versions 4.2 and 4.3 are vulnerable to a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) issue in the Web Intelligence HTML interface.

Understanding CVE-2019-0374

This CVE identifies a security vulnerability in SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform that allows for the execution of scripts through user-controlled inputs, leading to reflected Cross-Site Scripting.

What is CVE-2019-0374?

The Web Intelligence HTML interface of SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform versions 4.2 and 4.3 lacks proper input encoding, enabling malicious scripts to be executed in the chart title, resulting in reflected Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2019-0374

The vulnerability poses a risk of executing arbitrary scripts in the context of the user's session, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data theft, or other malicious activities.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-0374

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform versions 4.2 and 4.3 are affected by the following:

Vulnerability Description

Lack of proper input encoding in the Web Intelligence HTML interface
Execution of scripts in the chart title
Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) risk

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform
Vendor: SAP SE
Versions Affected: < 4.2, < 4.3

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability allows attackers to inject and execute malicious scripts through user-controlled inputs, specifically in the chart title, exploiting the lack of input validation and encoding.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2019-0374, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply security patches provided by SAP to fix the vulnerability
Educate users about the risks of executing scripts from untrusted sources

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement input validation and encoding mechanisms in web applications
Regularly update and monitor security configurations to prevent XSS attacks

Patching and Updates

Update SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform to versions 4.2 or 4.3 to mitigate the XSS vulnerability