Software Engineering Institute

The supplied facility for importing host data from a file (System Admin Tab | Network | Hosts | Import from Local File) to the HP Arcsight Connector or HP Arcsight Logger appliances fail to sanitize input for cross-site scripting attacks. An attacker with write access to the file that will be imported can add javascript code into the file.  This code will be run in the security context of the appliance administrative web GUI when the file is imported.

A remote attacker may, by luring a user into importing a malicious host file, be able to disclose sensitive information, steal user cookies, or escalate privileges.

Update

The vendor's HPSBMU02836 SSRT101056 security advisory states: HP has provided HP ArcSight Connector Appliance v6.4 and HP ArcSight Logger v5.3 to resolve these issues. Please contact HP support to receive updates.

Do not import host file from untrusted sources

Attackers must deliver a malicious host file to, or modify an existing file on, a vulnerable system in order to take advantage of this vulnerability. By only accessing host files, which cannot be modified by unprivileged users, from known and trusted sources the chances of exploitation are reduced.