CVE-2014-3277 in Unified Communications Domain Manager
Summary
by MITRE
The Administration GUI in the web framework in VOSS in Cisco Unified Communications Domain Manager (CDM) 9.0(.1) and earlier does not properly implement access control, which allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive user and group information by leveraging Location Administrator privileges and entering a crafted URL, aka Bug ID CSCum77005.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-3277 represents a critical access control flaw within the web framework of Cisco Unified Communications Domain Manager version 9.0(.1) and earlier releases. This issue specifically affects the Administration GUI component of the VOSS web framework, which serves as the primary interface for managing communication domains. The vulnerability stems from improper implementation of access control mechanisms that fail to adequately validate user privileges before granting access to sensitive information resources. Attackers with Location Administrator credentials can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to user and group information that should be restricted to higher-privileged roles.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a URL-based attack vector where authenticated users with Location Administrator privileges can manipulate the application's navigation structure to access restricted data. This flaw demonstrates a classic case of insufficient authorization checks where the system fails to properly verify that the requesting user has appropriate clearance levels for the requested resources. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the existing authentication mechanism to escalate privileges within the application's access control model, bypassing intended security boundaries that should separate different levels of administrative access.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on Cisco Unified Communications Domain Manager for their communication infrastructure. The exposure of sensitive user and group information can lead to unauthorized access to communication systems, potential credential compromise, and escalation to higher-privileged accounts. Attackers could use the leaked information to map communication networks, identify key personnel, and plan further attacks against the organization's communication infrastructure. The vulnerability particularly impacts organizations with complex communication domains where proper access control is essential for maintaining security boundaries between different administrative functions.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Cisco, reviewing and strengthening access control policies, and monitoring for suspicious URL access patterns within the application logs. Network segmentation and additional authentication layers should be considered to reduce the impact if such vulnerabilities are exploited. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285 which addresses improper authorization issues, and represents a specific instance of the broader ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts for lateral movement. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious URL manipulation attempts, and conduct regular security assessments to identify similar access control weaknesses in other components of the communication infrastructure.