CVE-2015-0698 in Web Security Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in filter search forms in admin web pages on Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) devices with software 8.5.0-497 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL, aka Bug ID CSCut39213.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/09/2022
The vulnerability CVE-2015-0698 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in Cisco Web Security Appliance devices running software version 8.5.0-497. This vulnerability specifically affects the filter search forms within the administrative web interface, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on Cisco WSA for network security operations. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts against unsuspecting administrators who interact with the affected web pages, potentially leading to complete compromise of the security appliance and underlying network infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the administrative web forms of the Cisco WSA. When administrators navigate to filter search pages and interact with search forms, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input parameters before rendering them back to the browser. This allows attackers to craft malicious URLs containing embedded script code that executes within the context of the administrator's browser session. The vulnerability is classified as a classic reflected cross-site scripting issue where malicious payloads are reflected back to users through the application's response, making it particularly dangerous in administrative contexts where privileged users are likely to interact with the web interface.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-0698 extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with a potential foothold for more sophisticated attacks against the network security infrastructure. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially hijack administrator sessions, execute arbitrary commands on the appliance, or redirect administrators to malicious sites that could harvest credentials or deploy additional malware. The attack vector requires minimal user interaction, as administrators typically navigate to administrative pages to perform routine security management tasks, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations that rely heavily on web-based security management interfaces. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploitation of web application vulnerabilities.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying the latest security patches provided by Cisco, implementing network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. The Cisco Security Advisory for this vulnerability recommends restricting administrative access to trusted networks only and implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts. Additionally, security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify other potential XSS vulnerabilities in web applications and ensure that all administrative interfaces properly validate and sanitize user input. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patched software to ensure that the XSS vulnerabilities have been properly addressed without introducing new issues that could impact appliance functionality.