CVE-2016-1314 in Unified Communications Domain Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Cisco Unified Communications Domain Manager (CDM) 8.1(1) allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL, aka Bug ID CSCux80760.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/11/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2016-1314 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Cisco Unified Communications Domain Manager version 8.1(1) that exposes organizations to significant security risks. This issue affects the core communication infrastructure management platform that handles voice and video communication systems, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise enterprise communication networks. The vulnerability specifically resides in how the system processes and validates input parameters within URL structures, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute unauthorized code within the context of authenticated user sessions.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Cisco CDM application. When authenticated users navigate to a specially crafted URL containing malicious script payloads, the system fails to properly sanitize the input parameters before rendering them in the web interface. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code that executes in the browser of any user who visits the compromised page. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only authentication to exploit, meaning that attackers who have gained access to legitimate user credentials can immediately leverage this flaw without requiring additional privileges or complex attack vectors.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations relying on Cisco CDM for their communication infrastructure management. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of authenticated users, access sensitive configuration data, or redirect users to malicious websites. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the CDM system typically manages critical communication services, including phone systems, video conferencing, and unified messaging platforms that form the backbone of enterprise communication networks. Organizations may face unauthorized access to communication records, potential disruption of services, and exposure of sensitive business communications that could lead to data breaches or operational downtime.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting as a code injection flaw where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding. This classification highlights the fundamental weakness in input sanitization and output encoding practices that should be implemented at every layer of web application development. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering tactics including phishing and malicious web content delivery, making it a valuable entry point for attackers seeking to establish persistent access within network environments. Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including immediate patch deployment, web application firewalls, and enhanced monitoring of user session activities to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, security awareness training for administrators and regular security assessments of communication infrastructure components are essential defensive measures that complement the technical fixes required to address this vulnerability effectively.