📄 Description (English)
Stored cross-site scripting (XSS) in Checkmk 2.5.0 (beta) before 2.5.0b2 allows authenticated users with permission to create hosts or services to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the browsers of other users performing searches in the Unified Search feature.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
Checkmk 2.5.0b1 contains a stored XSS vulnerability in the Unified Search feature that allows authenticated users with host/service creation permissions to inject malicious JavaScript affecting other users. While currently unpatched and without public exploits, the vulnerability poses a moderate risk to organizations using this monitoring platform, particularly in multi-tenant environments where privilege separation is critical.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: May 28, 2026 14:17
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Saudi organizations using Checkmk for infrastructure monitoring—particularly in banking (SAMA-regulated institutions), government agencies (NCA oversight), healthcare facilities, and energy sector (ARAMCO, SAECO)—face insider threat risks. The vulnerability enables privilege escalation attacks where lower-privileged administrators could compromise higher-privileged users' sessions. In Saudi critical infrastructure environments, this could facilitate lateral movement or data exfiltration. Telecom operators (STC, Mobily) using Checkmk for network monitoring are also at risk.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Banking and Financial Services (SAMA-regulated)
Government and Public Administration (NCA oversight)
Healthcare and Medical Facilities
Energy and Utilities (ARAMCO, SAECO)
Telecommunications (STC, Mobily, Zain)
Critical Infrastructure Operators
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter (JavaScript execution)
T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application (Unified Search feature)
T1598 - Phishing (social engineering via XSS payload)
T1539 - Steal Web Session Cookie (session hijacking via XSS)
T1021 - Remote Services (lateral movement post-compromise)
T1087 - Account Discovery (reconnaissance via compromised admin session)
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
5.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
Immediate Actions:
1. Audit all Checkmk 2.5.0b1 deployments in your environment and document affected systems
2. Restrict host/service creation permissions to only trusted administrators; implement principle of least privilege
3. Review audit logs for suspicious host/service creation activities in the past 30 days
4. Disable Unified Search feature if not operationally critical until patch is available
Patching Guidance:
5. Upgrade to Checkmk 2.5.0b2 or later when available (monitor Checkmk release notes)
6. Do not deploy Checkmk 2.5.0b1 in new production environments
Compensating Controls:
7. Implement network segmentation to restrict Checkmk access to authorized administrative networks only
8. Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block XSS payloads in search parameters
9. Enable Content Security Policy (CSP) headers if Checkmk supports them
10. Monitor for suspicious JavaScript execution in browser console logs of administrative users
Detection Rules:
11. Alert on host/service creation by non-standard administrative accounts
12. Monitor Unified Search queries for encoded JavaScript patterns (script tags, event handlers, onerror, onload)
13. Track session hijacking indicators: multiple simultaneous sessions from different IPs for same user account
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تدقيق جميع نشرات Checkmk 2.5.0b1 في بيئتك وتوثيق الأنظمة المتأثرة
2. تقييد أذونات إنشاء المضيفين/الخدمات للمسؤولين الموثوقين فقط؛ تطبيق مبدأ أقل امتياز
3. مراجعة سجلات التدقيق للأنشطة المريبة في إنشاء المضيفين/الخدمات خلال آخر 30 يوم
4. تعطيل ميزة البحث الموحد إذا لم تكن حرجة تشغيلياً حتى يتوفر التصحيح
إرشادات التصحيح:
5. الترقية إلى Checkmk 2.5.0b2 أو إصدار أحدث عند توفره (راقب ملاحظات إصدار Checkmk)
6. عدم نشر Checkmk 2.5.0b1 في بيئات الإنتاج الجديدة
الضوابط البديلة:
7. تطبيق تقسيم الشبكة لتقييد وصول Checkmk إلى شبكات إدارية مصرح بها فقط
8. نشر قواعد جدار حماية تطبيقات الويب (WAF) للكشف عن حمولات XSS وحجبها في معاملات البحث
9. تفعيل رؤوس سياسة أمان المحتوى (CSP) إذا كان Checkmk يدعمها
10. مراقبة تنفيذ JavaScript المريب في سجلات وحدة تحكم المتصفح للمستخدمين الإداريين
قواعد الكشف:
11. تنبيه عند إنشاء مضيف/خدمة بواسطة حسابات إدارية غير قياسية
12. مراقبة استعلامات البحث الموحد لأنماط JavaScript المشفرة (علامات البرنامج النصي، معالجات الأحداث، onerror، onload)
13. تتبع مؤشرات اختطاف الجلسة: جلسات متعددة متزامنة من عناوين IP مختلفة لنفس حساب المستخدم
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.5.1.1 - Access Control Policies (privilege separation violation)
ECC 2024 A.5.2.1 - User Registration and Access Rights Management
ECC 2024 A.6.2.1 - Restriction of Access to Information (session hijacking risk)
ECC 2024 A.12.2.1 - Event Logging (audit trail requirements for XSS detection)
🔵 SAMA CSF
SAMA CSF 1.1 - Governance and Risk Management (insider threat assessment)
SAMA CSF 2.1 - Access Control and Authentication (privilege management)
SAMA CSF 3.2 - Detection and Analysis (XSS detection capabilities)
SAMA CSF 4.1 - Response and Recovery (incident response procedures)
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.2 - User Access Management (least privilege principle)
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.3 - Access Control (authentication and authorization)
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.3 - Cryptography (session protection if applicable)
ISO 27001:2022 A.12.4 - Logging (event logging and monitoring)
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
PCI DSS 2.1 - Change default vendor-supplied passwords (if Checkmk used in payment environments)
PCI DSS 6.5.7 - Cross-site scripting (XSS) prevention
PCI DSS 7.1 - Limit access to system components by business need-to-know
🔗 References & Sources 1
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
checkmk:checkmk:2.5.0