CVE-2015-4210 in WebEx Meeting Center
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Cisco WebEx Meeting Center allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL, aka Bug ID CSCur03806.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/21/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4210 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Cisco WebEx Meeting Center, a widely deployed web conferencing platform that facilitates online meetings and collaboration. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input within URL parameters, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize or escape user-provided data before rendering it in web pages. The vulnerability is particularly concerning given the widespread adoption of WebEx Meeting Center across enterprise environments where users frequently engage in sensitive business communications and collaborative sessions.
The technical exploitation of this XSS vulnerability occurs when remote attackers craft malicious URLs containing specially formatted script code or HTML elements that are then processed by the WebEx Meeting Center application. When legitimate users click on these crafted links, the malicious code executes within their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized access to meeting resources. The vulnerability specifically affects the application's URL parameter handling, where user input is not adequately sanitized before being rendered in web responses. This flaw aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding, and represents a classic example of reflected XSS attacks where malicious scripts are reflected off the web server to the victim's browser. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be delivered through social engineering techniques, where users are tricked into clicking malicious links that appear legitimate.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can compromise the integrity and confidentiality of enterprise communications. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject malicious content that can persist across multiple meetings and users within the same organization. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of WebEx Meeting Center, potentially disrupting business operations and compromising sensitive meeting data. Organizations using this platform face risks of unauthorized access to meeting recordings, participant information, and proprietary business discussions. The attack surface is broad since the vulnerability can be exploited through various communication channels including email links, instant messaging, and shared meeting invitations. This flaw undermines the trust model of the platform and can lead to significant reputational damage for organizations that rely on WebEx for secure collaboration. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes social engineering tactics that can be used to deliver malicious payloads through crafted web content.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability including immediate patching of affected WebEx Meeting Center versions, deployment of web application firewalls to filter malicious requests, and implementation of content security policies to prevent script execution. Input validation should be strengthened at all entry points where user data is processed, and output encoding should be enforced to prevent malicious code from being executed in browser contexts. Regular security awareness training for users can help identify and avoid suspicious links that may contain malicious payloads. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their web applications and implement automated vulnerability scanning to identify similar issues in other applications. The mitigation strategy should also include monitoring for suspicious user activities and implementing strict access controls for meeting resources. Compliance with security standards such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 should be maintained to ensure proper security controls are in place. Regular updates and patch management processes should be established to ensure timely remediation of identified vulnerabilities.