CVE-2014-3408 in Prime Optical
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the web framework in Cisco Prime Optical 10 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via an unspecified parameter, aka Bug ID CSCuq80763.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3408 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Cisco Prime Optical 10's web framework architecture. This security weakness resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input through an unspecified parameter, creating an attack vector that enables remote adversaries to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected user sessions. The vulnerability specifically affects Cisco Prime Optical 10 software, which is designed for network infrastructure management and monitoring, making it a significant concern for enterprise network security.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability demonstrates a classic input validation failure where the web application fails to properly sanitize or encode user-provided data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages. This flaw operates under CWE-79 which classifies cross-site scripting as a code injection vulnerability that occurs when untrusted data is embedded into web pages without proper validation or encoding. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can be leveraged to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious sites. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that contain JavaScript code or HTML elements, which when processed by the vulnerable web framework, execute within the browser context of authenticated users.
The operational implications of this vulnerability within enterprise network environments are substantial, particularly given that Cisco Prime Optical 10 serves as a critical management tool for optical network infrastructure. An attacker who successfully exploits this XSS vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to network management functionalities, potentially leading to complete compromise of the optical network infrastructure. The attack surface is broad since the vulnerability affects the web interface, making it accessible to remote attackers without requiring physical access to the network equipment. This weakness can be particularly dangerous in environments where network administrators use the web interface for routine operations, as it could enable attackers to escalate privileges, access sensitive configuration data, or manipulate network settings. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would fall under initial access and execution techniques, specifically leveraging web application vulnerabilities for unauthorized code execution.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-3408 should focus on immediate remediation through official Cisco security patches and updates. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation mechanisms that sanitize all user-supplied data before processing, ensuring that potentially malicious content is properly escaped or encoded. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of the vulnerable web interface to untrusted networks. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers and regular security assessments of web applications can provide defense-in-depth measures against similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit XSS vulnerabilities in their network management systems.