CVE-2015-0754 in Finesse
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Finesse 10.5(1) allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information or cause a denial of service (CPU and memory consumption) via a crafted XML document, aka Bug ID CSCut95810.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/19/2022
Cisco Finesse 10.5(1) contains a vulnerability that enables remote authenticated attackers to exploit a flaw in XML processing that results in information disclosure and denial of service conditions. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization of XML documents within the application's processing pipeline, allowing maliciously crafted XML content to trigger unexpected behavior in the system's resource management mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically affects the XML parser component that handles incoming data from authenticated users, creating a pathway for attackers to manipulate system resources through carefully constructed XML payloads.
The technical flaw manifests when the system processes malformed XML documents that contain recursive or excessively nested elements, or elements that trigger memory allocation patterns designed to consume excessive CPU cycles and memory resources. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-400 category of "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" and represents a classic example of a resource exhaustion attack that can be amplified through XML processing. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authenticated access, meaning that an attacker who has valid credentials within the system can leverage this weakness to either extract sensitive information or consume system resources to the point of causing service disruption.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions as attackers can potentially extract sensitive information from the system through information disclosure mechanisms triggered by the malformed XML processing. The CPU and memory consumption patterns associated with this vulnerability can lead to system instability, application crashes, and degradation of service quality for legitimate users. Attackers can maintain persistent resource consumption patterns that may not be immediately apparent, leading to prolonged service degradation. This vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including web interfaces, API endpoints, or any communication channel that accepts XML data from authenticated users, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where multiple authenticated users exist.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include implementing strict XML parsing validation controls, establishing resource limits on XML processing operations, and deploying input sanitization mechanisms that prevent recursive or excessively nested XML structures from being processed. Organizations should implement rate limiting and monitoring for XML processing activities to detect anomalous resource consumption patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper XML security controls and input validation as outlined in the OWASP Top 10 and NIST guidelines for secure coding practices. System administrators should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the impact of successful exploitation, while regular security updates and patches should be applied to address the underlying vulnerability in Cisco Finesse software. Additionally, implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious XML processing patterns can provide early warning of potential exploitation attempts, aligning with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's approach to identifying and mitigating resource exhaustion attacks.