CVE-2006-1960 in Wireless LAN Solution Engine
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the appliance web user interface in Cisco CiscoWorks Wireless LAN Solution Engine (WLSE) and WLSE Express before 2.13 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML, possibly via the displayMsg parameter to archiveApplyDisplay.jsp, aka bug ID CSCsc01095.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-1960 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the web-based management interface of Cisco's Wireless LAN Solution Engine products. This security weakness affects both the full WLSE appliance and the WLSE Express variant, specifically when operating with versions prior to 2.13. The vulnerability resides in the web user interface component that handles administrative operations for wireless network management systems, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on Cisco's wireless infrastructure solutions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the improper handling of user input within the archiveApplyDisplay.jsp web page. When attackers exploit this flaw by manipulating the displayMsg parameter, they can inject malicious JavaScript code or HTML content directly into the web interface. This injection occurs because the application fails to properly sanitize or validate input data before incorporating it into the dynamic web page output. The vulnerability specifically targets the parameter validation mechanisms within the web application's input processing pipeline, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of a victim's browser session.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, steal administrative credentials, and potentially gain unauthorized access to the wireless network infrastructure. Attackers can craft malicious URLs that, when clicked by an authenticated user, execute malicious scripts that can capture session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or modify the behavior of the web interface. This vulnerability essentially allows remote code execution within the browser context of authenticated administrators, creating a severe risk to network security and management integrity.
Organizations utilizing affected Cisco WLSE products face significant risk exposure from this vulnerability, particularly in environments where wireless network management interfaces are accessible from untrusted networks or where administrative access is granted to users with varying security clearance levels. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects the management interface, which typically requires elevated privileges and has access to sensitive network configuration data. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web applications, and it maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting through web application interfaces. The vulnerability demonstrates how web application security flaws can compromise the entire network management infrastructure, potentially leading to unauthorized wireless network access, configuration changes, and data exfiltration.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate deployment of Cisco's security patches and updates for the affected WLSE products, specifically upgrading to version 2.13 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to the wireless management interface, enforce strong authentication mechanisms, and monitor for suspicious activity in the web application logs. Additionally, regular security assessments of web applications should be conducted to identify and remediate similar input validation vulnerabilities, and administrators should be trained to recognize potential XSS attack vectors and maintain current security awareness practices.