CVE-2014-3367 in Nexus 1000V InterCloud for VMware
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the vCloud Director component in Cisco Nexus 1000V InterCloud for VMware allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via an unspecified value, aka Bug ID CSCuq90524.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3367 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the vCloud Director component of Cisco Nexus 1000V InterCloud for VMware infrastructure. This security weakness resides in the web-based management interface of the virtualized network switching platform, which is designed to provide network virtualization capabilities within VMware environments. The vulnerability specifically affects the handling of user-supplied input within the vCloud Director component, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute unauthorized code within the context of a victim's browser session. The issue manifests when the system fails to properly sanitize or validate input parameters that are subsequently rendered in web pages without adequate encoding or escaping mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the injection of malicious script code into unspecified input fields within the vCloud Director interface. Attackers can leverage this weakness to craft specially crafted payloads that, when processed by the vulnerable component, execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the browser of authenticated users. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-site Scripting flaws in web applications. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires no privileged access to the underlying infrastructure, as the vulnerability exists within the web interface that is accessible to authenticated users with appropriate permissions. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to manipulate the presentation layer of the application, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the compromised environment.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-3367 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the compromised environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially access sensitive configuration data, manipulate virtual network settings, or even escalate privileges within the vCloud Director environment. The vulnerability's presence in the InterCloud solution means that organizations using Cisco Nexus 1000V for VMware virtualization are at risk of unauthorized access to their virtualized network infrastructure. This is particularly problematic in enterprise environments where vCloud Director is used for managing complex cloud deployments, as the compromised interface could provide attackers with access to critical network configuration information and virtual machine management capabilities. The attack could also facilitate lateral movement within the network infrastructure, as the compromised session might provide access to other interconnected systems that rely on the same authentication mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of the security patches released by Cisco, which address the input validation issues within the vCloud Director component. Organizations should also consider implementing additional network segmentation measures to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, particularly by restricting access to the vCloud Director interface to trusted administrative networks. Web application firewalls and input validation controls should be deployed to provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities in other components of the InterCloud solution. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization and output encoding in web applications, aligning with the ATT&CK framework's methodology for identifying and mitigating web-based attack vectors. Security teams should also implement comprehensive monitoring of the vCloud Director interface for suspicious activities and consider conducting regular security assessments to identify potential similar weaknesses in the virtualized infrastructure stack.