CVE-2015-4249 in WebEx Meeting Center
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Cisco WebEx Meeting Center allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified parameters in a (1) GET or (2) POST request, aka Bug ID CSCuv01955.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4249 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 through HTTP request parameters, creating an attack surface that enables malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated user sessions. The flaw specifically affects both GET and POST request methods, demonstrating the breadth of potential attack vectors available to threat actors targeting the platform.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the WebEx Meeting Center application. When the system processes incoming requests containing malformed or malicious parameters, it fails to properly sanitize the data before rendering it in web responses. This deficiency allows attackers to inject script code that executes in the browser of unsuspecting users who visit affected pages or interact with maliciously crafted meeting invitations. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly escape or encode user-controllable data in web applications. This weakness directly enables the execution of malicious scripts in the victim's browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the compromised user's privileges.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-4249 extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with a foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the WebEx ecosystem. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, capture user credentials, or redirect victims to malicious websites that appear legitimate. The vulnerability's presence in a widely used collaboration platform creates significant risk for organizations that rely on WebEx for business communications, as successful exploitation could compromise sensitive corporate meetings, intellectual property discussions, and confidential business dealings. The attack requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with limited security awareness training for end users. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 as a phishing attack vector, where maliciously crafted meeting invitations or URLs could be used to deliver the XSS payload to unsuspecting targets.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-4249 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Cisco WebEx Meeting Center installations, as the vendor would have released security updates addressing the input validation deficiencies. Organizations should implement comprehensive web application firewalls to monitor and filter malicious requests before they reach the vulnerable application components. Input validation controls must be strengthened to ensure all user-supplied parameters undergo strict sanitization and encoding before being processed or displayed in web responses. Security awareness training for end users should emphasize the importance of verifying meeting invitations and avoiding suspicious links or attachments. Network segmentation and access controls can limit the potential impact of successful exploitation by restricting access to sensitive meeting resources. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their web applications to identify similar input validation vulnerabilities that could be exploited in similar fashion, as this type of flaw frequently occurs in web applications that fail to properly implement secure coding practices. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and output encoding in preventing XSS attacks, as outlined in OWASP Top Ten and other industry security standards.