CVE-2012-0340 in IronPort
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the management interface on the Cisco IronPort Encryption Appliance with software before 6.5.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the header parameter to the default URI under admin/, aka bug ID 72410.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/25/2017
The CVE-2012-0340 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in Cisco IronPort Encryption Appliance management interfaces. This vulnerability specifically affects appliances running software versions prior to 6.5.3, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this email security appliance for encryption and content filtering services. The vulnerability exists within the administrative web interface, making it particularly dangerous as it could potentially allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions and compromise the entire email security infrastructure.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the header parameter within the default URI path under the admin/ directory. Attackers can inject arbitrary web script or HTML code into the application's response, which is then executed in the context of other users' browsers who access the affected management interface. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting attacks, where the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic input validation failure where the system does not adequately sanitize the header parameter, allowing malicious code to persist and execute within the victim's browser session.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it could enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the compromised environment. An attacker could potentially steal administrative credentials, modify encryption policies, access encrypted email content, or even redirect users to malicious websites that appear to be legitimate management interfaces. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires no authentication to exploit, making it a server-side vulnerability that can be leveraged by remote attackers. According to ATT&CK framework category T1059.007, this vulnerability enables command and control activities through script injection, while T1566.001 covers the initial access through web application exploitation techniques.
Organizations utilizing Cisco IronPort Encryption Appliances must implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability. The primary and most effective remediation involves upgrading the appliance software to version 6.5.3 or later, which includes proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms for the affected header parameter. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit direct access to the management interface, particularly restricting administrative access to trusted networks only. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and content security policies can help detect and prevent malicious script injection attempts. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual traffic patterns or attempts to access the admin/ URI with suspicious parameters, and regular security audits should verify that no unauthorized modifications have occurred to the appliance configuration. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining current software patches and following security best practices for network appliance management interfaces.