CVE-2012-5744 in Identity Services Engine Software
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the guest portal in Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) Software allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors, aka Bug IDs CSCud11139 and CSCug02904.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/01/2019
The Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) software represents a critical component in enterprise network access control, providing authentication, authorization, and accounting services for network infrastructure. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5744 affects the guest portal functionality within this platform, creating a significant security risk that could be exploited by remote attackers without requiring authentication. This vulnerability specifically targets the guest portal interface which is designed to provide temporary network access to visitors and guests while maintaining security controls. The affected software components operate within the context of web-based interfaces that process user input and display content to end users, making them susceptible to cross-site scripting attacks that can compromise the integrity and confidentiality of network access sessions.
The technical flaw manifests as multiple cross-site scripting vulnerabilities within the guest portal implementation, where input validation mechanisms fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web responses. Attackers can exploit these weaknesses by crafting malicious payloads that contain executable script code, which gets executed in the context of other users' browsers when they access the affected portal. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple entry points within the guest portal functionality could be exploited, potentially including form fields, URL parameters, or other user-controllable input mechanisms. These vulnerabilities fall under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically targeting the improper neutralization of input during web page generation. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it allows remote code execution in the browser context of authenticated users, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the network environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent access to network resources through compromised guest sessions. When guest users interact with the vulnerable portal, their browsers execute malicious scripts that can steal session cookies, redirect traffic to malicious sites, or harvest sensitive information from the network environment. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of network access control by potentially undermining the trust model that ISE establishes between legitimate users and network resources. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to create a foothold within the network, using the guest portal as an initial access vector to escalate privileges or move laterally within the infrastructure. This threat is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where ISE serves as a central authentication point for network access, as successful exploitation could provide attackers with access to critical network segments and sensitive data repositories.
Organizations utilizing Cisco ISE software must implement immediate mitigation strategies to protect against exploitation of this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates that address the specific XSS flaws in the guest portal implementation. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional defensive measures such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script payloads, enhanced input validation at network boundaries, and regular security assessments of web-based interfaces. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization and output encoding in web applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting and T1566 for phishing attacks that could leverage such vulnerabilities. Organizations should also establish monitoring procedures to detect anomalous behavior in guest portal access patterns and implement network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Regular security awareness training for network administrators and IT personnel is essential to recognize indicators of compromise and maintain vigilance against sophisticated attack vectors that could exploit similar weaknesses in other network components.