CVE-2014-3339 in Unified Presence Server
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in the administrative web interface in Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CM) and Cisco Unified Presence Server (CUPS) allow remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary SQL commands via crafted input to unspecified pages, aka Bug ID CSCup74290.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/04/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3339 represents a critical SQL injection flaw affecting Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco Unified Presence Server products. This vulnerability resides within the administrative web interface of these communication platforms, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors who can leverage authenticated access to execute arbitrary SQL commands. The flaw specifically impacts the administrative components of these systems, which are typically accessed by authorized personnel for system management and configuration tasks.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within unspecified administrative pages of the web interface. When authenticated users submit crafted input to these pages, the system fails to properly sanitize or escape the data before incorporating it into SQL queries. This lack of proper input sanitization creates an environment where attackers can inject malicious SQL code that gets executed within the database context. The vulnerability affects both Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco Unified Presence Server, indicating a systemic issue within the administrative interfaces of these communication platforms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. Remote authenticated attackers who can access the administrative web interface can potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive system data, manipulate database contents, and potentially escalate their privileges within the communication infrastructure. The attack requires only authenticated access, which means that an attacker who has obtained legitimate credentials for administrative access can exploit this vulnerability without additional authentication requirements. This creates a particularly dangerous scenario where insider threats or compromised accounts can be leveraged to execute devastating attacks against the communication infrastructure.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 which describes SQL injection flaws as a common weakness in web applications where untrusted data is incorporated into SQL commands without proper sanitization. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1071.004 for Application Layer Protocol: DNS and T1566 for Phishing, as attackers may use compromised administrative accounts to gain deeper access to communication systems. The vulnerability also relates to T1190 for Exploit Public-Facing Application and T1046 for Network Service Scanning, as attackers may need to identify and exploit the administrative interface to achieve their objectives. Organizations using these Cisco products face significant risk of data breaches, system compromise, and potential disruption of critical communication services.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of affected systems, implementation of network segmentation to limit administrative access, and enhanced monitoring of administrative interface activities. Organizations should also implement principle of least privilege access controls, regularly audit administrative account usage, and deploy web application firewalls to detect and prevent SQL injection attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and sanitization in web applications, particularly within administrative interfaces where elevated privileges can lead to catastrophic system compromise.