CVE-2014-3292 in Unified Communications Manager
Summary
by MITRE
The Real Time Monitoring Tool (RTMT) implementation in Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Unified CM) allows remote authenticated users to (1) read or (2) delete arbitrary files via a crafted URL, aka Bug IDs CSCuo17302 and CSCuo17199.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/22/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3292 resides within the Real Time Monitoring Tool implementation of Cisco Unified Communications Manager, a critical component in enterprise voice communication systems. This flaw represents a significant security weakness that affects organizations relying on Cisco's unified communications infrastructure for their business operations. The vulnerability specifically impacts the RTMT functionality which is designed to provide real-time monitoring and management capabilities for Cisco Unified CM environments. The bug manifests through improper input validation mechanisms that fail to adequately sanitize user-supplied data in URL parameters, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by authenticated attackers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted URL parameters that manipulate file system access controls within the RTMT component. Attackers with valid authentication credentials can construct malicious URLs that bypass normal file access restrictions, enabling them to perform unauthorized file operations including both reading and deletion of arbitrary files on the affected system. This represents a classic path traversal vulnerability where the application fails to properly validate or sanitize input data before using it in file system operations. The vulnerability allows attackers to potentially access sensitive configuration files, log data, or other system files that should remain protected from unauthorized access. According to the associated bug IDs CSCuo17302 and CSCuo17199, this flaw specifically affects the file system access mechanisms within the RTMT tool's web interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data access, as it can compromise the integrity and confidentiality of critical communication infrastructure. An attacker with authenticated access could potentially read system configuration files containing sensitive information such as user credentials, system parameters, or network configurations that could be used for further exploitation. The ability to delete arbitrary files introduces additional risk as it could disrupt service availability or destroy critical system components that are essential for business continuity. This vulnerability affects organizations that depend on Cisco Unified Communications Manager for their voice and video communication services, potentially exposing them to significant operational disruption and security breaches. The impact is particularly severe because the RTMT tool is commonly used for system monitoring and management, making it a valuable target for attackers seeking to gain deeper access to the communication infrastructure.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, starting with immediate patch management and applying the vendor-supplied security updates. Network segmentation should be implemented to limit access to the RTMT functionality to only authorized administrative users, while also enforcing strict access controls and monitoring for suspicious file access patterns. The implementation of web application firewalls and input validation controls can help detect and prevent malicious URL parameter manipulation attempts. According to the CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-22 Path Traversal, which represents a well-known weakness in software applications that handle file system operations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving privilege escalation and credential access, as attackers can leverage the authenticated access to escalate their privileges and access sensitive data. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other components of the unified communications infrastructure, while also implementing comprehensive monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect unauthorized file access attempts.