CVE-2013-1198 in Unified Computing System
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in a Flash component in Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) Central allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors, aka Bug ID CSCud15430.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1198 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Flash-based component of Cisco Unified Computing System UCS Central. This security weakness resides in the web interface portion of the UCS Central management platform, which is designed to provide centralized management for Cisco UCS infrastructure deployments. The vulnerability specifically affects the Flash component that handles user interactions and data presentation within the web-based management console, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute unauthorized code within the context of authenticated user sessions. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Flash-based interface elements that process user-supplied data.
The technical exploitation of this XSS vulnerability occurs through unspecified vectors that likely involve manipulation of parameters or data fields processed by the Flash component. Attackers can leverage this weakness to inject malicious scripts or HTML content that will execute in the browser of authenticated users who interact with the affected UCS Central interface. The vulnerability's classification as a persistent XSS flaw means that malicious content injected through this vector can be stored on the server and subsequently executed against other users who access the compromised interface. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of secure input validation and demonstrates a failure in implementing proper sanitization of user-provided data before rendering it within the web interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to potentially escalate privileges and access sensitive administrative functions within the UCS Central environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to critical infrastructure management capabilities, potentially compromising the entire UCS deployment. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that UCS Central serves as a central management point for multiple compute nodes, storage systems, and network components within enterprise data centers. This vulnerability could allow attackers to manipulate the management interface to redirect traffic, modify configurations, or extract sensitive information from the managed infrastructure, directly impacting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the entire unified computing environment.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, beginning with immediate patch deployment from Cisco to address the specific Flash component flaw. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit exposure of the UCS Central management interface to only authorized personnel. Input validation should be enhanced at multiple levels including web application firewalls, proxy servers, and application-level controls to prevent malicious payloads from reaching the vulnerable Flash components. The mitigation strategy should also include regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify additional vectors that may exploit similar weaknesses in the broader UCS ecosystem. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a technique commonly used in the attack chain described by MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 sub-technique for script injection attacks targeting web applications. Organizations must also consider implementing automated monitoring solutions to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts against such vulnerabilities.