CVE-2013-3412 in Unified Communications Manager
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) 7.1(x) through 9.1(2) allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary SQL commands via unspecified vectors, aka Bug ID CSCuh81766.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-3412 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within Cisco Unified Communications Manager versions 7.1 through 9.1(2). This vulnerability specifically affects enterprise communication systems that rely on Cisco's unified communications infrastructure, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors who can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive database systems. The flaw exists in the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the CUCM platform, allowing attackers who have already established legitimate user credentials to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary SQL commands against underlying database servers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the CUCM application's database interaction layers. Attackers can manipulate database queries through carefully crafted inputs that bypass normal validation checks, enabling them to inject malicious SQL code directly into the system's query execution engine. This weakness operates at the application level and exploits the trust relationship between authenticated users and the system's database access mechanisms. The vulnerability's classification as a SQL injection flaw aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands, making it a direct descendant of well-known database security weaknesses.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation can lead to complete database compromise, unauthorized access to user credentials, and potential lateral movement within the enterprise network. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive information including user accounts, phone system configurations, call logs, and potentially other organizational data stored within the CUCM database. The remote nature of the attack means that malicious actors do not require physical access to the network, and the authenticated access requirement reduces the barrier to entry compared to fully remote attacks, though it still represents a serious compromise of the system's integrity. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials and privileges, and T1046 which involves privilege escalation through database access.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying Cisco's official security patches and updates, implementing network segmentation to isolate critical communication systems, and conducting thorough vulnerability assessments of their unified communications infrastructure. Additional protective measures include implementing database activity monitoring, enforcing strict input validation at all application layers, and establishing robust network access controls that limit database access to only necessary administrative functions. Security teams should also consider implementing database firewall solutions that can detect and prevent SQL injection attempts, as well as establishing comprehensive monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized database access patterns. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple CUCM versions emphasizes the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar weaknesses in other enterprise systems.