CVE-2015-0738 in Web Security Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Web Tracking Report page on Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) devices 8.5.0-497 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via an unspecified field, aka Bug ID CSCuu16008.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2022
The CVE-2015-0738 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw identified in Cisco Web Security Appliance devices running software version 8.5.0-497. This vulnerability specifically affects the Web Tracking Report page functionality, which serves as a reporting interface for administrators to monitor web traffic and security events. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of a victim's browser session, potentially compromising user security and data integrity. The vulnerability was catalogued under Bug ID CSCuu16008, indicating its classification within Cisco's internal tracking system for security issues. This type of vulnerability directly impacts the security posture of organizations relying on Cisco WSA for web security management and monitoring.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the Web Tracking Report page functionality. Attackers can exploit this weakness by injecting malicious script code through an unspecified input field that processes user-supplied data without proper sanitization. When the compromised page is rendered in a victim's browser, the malicious script executes in the context of the authenticated user's session, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions, or redirect users to malicious websites. The vulnerability's classification as a reflected XSS issue means that the malicious payload is typically embedded in a URL or form submission and executed when the user accesses the compromised page, making it particularly dangerous for administrative interfaces that handle sensitive security data.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-0738 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to gain elevated privileges within the WSA environment. Since the Web Tracking Report page likely provides access to sensitive web traffic data and security event logs, successful exploitation could allow adversaries to monitor user activities, identify security gaps, or even manipulate the appliance's reporting functionality. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on WSA for comprehensive web security monitoring, as it undermines the trust model between administrators and the security appliance. The attack vector requires remote access without authentication, making it especially dangerous for organizations with public-facing WSA appliances or those that expose administrative interfaces to untrusted networks.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying Cisco's security patches and updates released to address this vulnerability, which would typically involve upgrading to software versions that properly sanitize input fields and encode output data. Network segmentation and access controls should be reinforced to limit exposure of administrative interfaces to trusted networks only, while implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious script injection attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, and corresponds to attack techniques in the ATT&CK framework under T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for credential access through social engineering. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses in other web interfaces, while implementing proper output encoding and Content Security Policy headers to prevent script execution in vulnerable applications.