CVE-2011-0961 in CiscoWorks Common Services
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in cwhp/device.center.do in the Help servlet in Cisco CiscoWorks Common Services 3.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the device parameter, aka Bug ID CSCto12704.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0961 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Cisco CiscoWorks Common Services version 3.3 and earlier releases. This security weakness resides in the Help servlet component specifically at the cwhp/device.center.do endpoint, making it accessible to remote attackers who can exploit the vulnerability through manipulation of the device parameter. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a persistent security flaw that allows malicious actors to inject client-side scripts into web applications that are then executed by other users. This particular flaw enables attackers to execute arbitrary web script or HTML code, potentially compromising user sessions and accessing sensitive data.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing crafted script code within the device parameter of the vulnerable Help servlet endpoint. When a victim user accesses this specially crafted URL, the malicious script executes within the victim's browser context, leveraging the trusted relationship between the user and the CiscoWorks application. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic input validation failure where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized or escaped before being rendered in the web application's response. This allows attackers to inject malicious payloads that can perform actions such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or defacing web pages. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires no authentication and can be executed through simple web browser interactions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can lead to complete session hijacking and unauthorized access to CiscoWorks Common Services. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access to the application, potentially gaining administrative privileges or accessing confidential network information managed through CiscoWorks. The vulnerability affects organizations using CiscoWorks Common Services, which typically serves as a centralized management platform for network devices, making it a high-value target for attackers seeking to compromise network infrastructure. This flaw can be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where CiscoWorks is used for network monitoring and management, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to manipulate network device configurations or steal sensitive operational data. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, enabling attackers to execute malicious code in the victim's browser context.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-0961 should prioritize immediate patching of affected CiscoWorks Common Services installations to version 3.4 or later, where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation and output encoding. Organizations should implement comprehensive web application firewalls to monitor and filter malicious requests targeting the vulnerable endpoint, while also establishing strict input validation policies that sanitize all user-supplied data before processing. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of the vulnerable service to untrusted networks. Security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify similar input validation flaws in other web applications within their environment. Additionally, user education programs should be implemented to raise awareness about phishing attacks that might exploit such vulnerabilities, while implementing Content Security Policy headers to add an additional layer of protection against script injection attacks. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of secure coding practices and input validation in preventing web application security breaches.