CVE-2015-1516 in RealPresence CloudAXIS Suite
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Polycom RealPresence CloudAXIS Suite before 1.7.0 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/24/2017
The CVE-2015-1516 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Polycom RealPresence CloudAXIS Suite version 1.6.0 and earlier. This vulnerability affects the web-based administration interface of the video conferencing system, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on Polycom's cloud-based collaboration platform. The flaw allows authenticated attackers to inject malicious scripts that can execute within the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information and system compromise. The vulnerability specifically impacts the suite's handling of user input within its web interface components, where insufficient validation and sanitization of input parameters creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate the application's behavior.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the CloudAXIS Suite's web application layer. Attackers with valid authentication credentials can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input that gets processed and rendered without proper sanitization. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple entry points within the application's user interface may be susceptible to this type of injection attack, potentially affecting various administrative functions and user management features. This class of vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is sent to a web browser without proper validation or encoding. The vulnerability's classification as authenticated XSS indicates that attackers must first establish valid credentials, but once authenticated, they can leverage this privilege to execute malicious code within the context of other users.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-1516 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user data, and potentially escalate privileges within the system. Organizations using the affected Polycom suite may experience unauthorized access to conference recordings, user credentials, and system configuration details. The vulnerability also poses risks to the broader network infrastructure, as attackers could use the compromised system as a foothold for lateral movement and further attacks. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the CloudAXIS Suite is designed for enterprise collaboration environments where users may have elevated privileges and access to critical business information. This vulnerability directly contradicts the principle of least privilege and can lead to significant data breaches when exploited effectively.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including upgrading to Polycom RealPresence CloudAXIS Suite version 1.7.0 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other enterprise systems. The remediation process should also include user access reviews to ensure that only authorized personnel have administrative privileges, reducing the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional layers of protection against similar XSS vulnerabilities. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and the critical need for robust input validation mechanisms in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive enterprise data and user credentials.