CVE-2015-6328 in Prime Collaboration Assurance
Summary
by MITRE
The web framework in Cisco Prime Collaboration Assurance (PCA) 10.5(1) allows remote authenticated users to bypass intended access restrictions and read arbitrary files via a crafted URL, aka Bug ID CSCus88380.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6328 resides within Cisco Prime Collaboration Assurance version 10.5(1), a web-based framework designed for network monitoring and management. This flaw represents a critical access control bypass issue that enables remote authenticated attackers to circumvent intended security restrictions. The vulnerability specifically manifests through crafted URL parameters that allow unauthorized file access, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on this collaboration assurance platform for their communication infrastructure monitoring.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper access control mechanisms within the web application layer of Cisco PCA. When users submit specially crafted URLs containing malicious file path references, the application fails to properly sanitize these inputs before processing file access requests. This weakness directly aligns with CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal attacks. The flaw operates by exploiting the application's failure to properly validate or restrict file access paths, allowing attackers to navigate the file system beyond intended boundaries.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to organizations utilizing Cisco Prime Collaboration Assurance for their network infrastructure monitoring. Remote authenticated attackers who can establish valid credentials within the system can exploit this weakness to access sensitive configuration files, log data, and potentially system credentials stored on the server. The ability to read arbitrary files creates opportunities for information disclosure attacks that could compromise entire network monitoring operations. Attackers might gain access to communication patterns, user credentials, system configurations, and other sensitive data that could be leveraged for further attacks within the network infrastructure.
The exploitation of this vulnerability follows established patterns documented in various attack frameworks including the MITRE ATT&CK methodology, specifically relating to privilege escalation and credential access techniques. The attack requires only authenticated access to the system, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by insiders or compromised legitimate users. Organizations implementing Cisco PCA should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader threat landscape assessment, particularly when evaluating their network monitoring and management systems for potential attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-6328 should prioritize immediate patch application from Cisco, as the vendor has released security updates addressing this specific vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the affected system to only necessary personnel. Additional defensive measures include implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious URL patterns, conducting regular security assessments of the web framework, and establishing monitoring procedures for unusual file access patterns. The implementation of principle of least privilege access controls and regular credential rotation can further reduce the potential impact of exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider conducting penetration testing to verify that the applied mitigations effectively address the vulnerability without introducing operational disruptions.