CVE-2010-0594 in Cisco
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Cisco Router and Security Device Manager (SDM) allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unknown vectors, aka Bug ID CSCtb38467.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/30/2017
The Cisco Router and Security Device Manager (SDM) contains a cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a critical security flaw in network infrastructure management software. This vulnerability affects Cisco's SDM interface which is commonly used to configure and manage Cisco routers and security devices, making it a significant concern for enterprise network administrators who rely on this management platform for their network operations. The vulnerability is classified as a client-side attack vector that permits remote exploitation without requiring authentication or privileged access to the underlying network devices.
The technical nature of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the SDM web interface components. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that are executed in the context of a victim's browser session when they interact with the compromised SDM interface. The vulnerability manifests through unknown vectors that likely involve improper sanitization of user-supplied data in web form fields, URL parameters, or other input mechanisms within the SDM application. This flaw allows attackers to inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code that executes in the browser of authenticated users who access the compromised management interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that compromise network management integrity. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can potentially hijack user sessions, steal administrative credentials, modify network configurations, or redirect users to malicious sites that appear legitimate. The attack surface is particularly concerning because SDM is often used by network administrators with elevated privileges, meaning that successful exploitation could lead to complete network compromise. Additionally, the vulnerability affects multiple Cisco router and security device models, amplifying the potential attack scope across various network infrastructure components.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate SDM access, implementing strict web application firewalls to filter malicious requests, and applying the latest security patches provided by Cisco. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a classic example of how web application security weaknesses can escalate to critical infrastructure compromise. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving initial access through web application exploitation and privilege escalation via session hijacking. Network administrators should also consider implementing monitoring solutions that detect anomalous behavior in SDM access patterns and establish secure remote access protocols that do not rely on potentially vulnerable web interfaces for critical network management tasks.