CVE-2016-1318 in Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Enterprise Module
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Enterprise Module (APIC-EM) 1.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via crafted markup data, aka Bug ID CSCux15489.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/07/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1318 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Cisco's Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Enterprise Module version 1.1. This security weakness resides in the web application interface of the APIC-EM system, which serves as a central management platform for network policies and infrastructure automation. The vulnerability specifically affects the input validation mechanisms that process markup data submitted through various user interfaces and API endpoints. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious HTML or JavaScript code within specially formatted data inputs, which then gets executed in the context of other users' browsers when they access affected pages. The vulnerability impacts organizations utilizing Cisco's enterprise network management solutions, potentially compromising the security of network administrators and users who interact with the APIC-EM interface.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization and validation of user-supplied data within the APIC-EM web application framework. When legitimate users submit markup content through various input fields, the application fails to properly encode or filter potentially malicious script tags, event handlers, or other HTML elements that could be interpreted as executable code by web browsers. This flaw operates at the application layer where user inputs are processed and rendered without adequate security controls to prevent script injection attacks. The vulnerability is classified as a classic reflected XSS issue, where malicious payloads are embedded in URLs or form data and executed when victims access specific application pages. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it does not require authentication to the APIC-EM system itself, making it accessible to remote attackers who can exploit the vulnerability from outside the network perimeter.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-1318 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the compromised network environment. Successful exploitation could allow threat actors to steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, modify content displayed to legitimate users, or even execute arbitrary commands on behalf of authenticated users. In enterprise network management contexts, this vulnerability poses significant risks to network security operations, as attackers could potentially gain access to sensitive network configuration data, manipulate policy enforcement, or establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the APIC-EM management interface, potentially compromising the entire network policy management ecosystem that relies on this centralized controller for automated network operations and security enforcement.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability, beginning with immediate patch management procedures and application updates from Cisco. The recommended remediation approach includes applying the official security patches released by Cisco to address the specific XSS implementation flaws in the APIC-EM 1.1 software. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script injection attempts, input validation rules that sanitize user data, and proper output encoding mechanisms that prevent script execution in web responses. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious user activities and unusual data submissions that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and it can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting and T1566 for credential access through social engineering. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other network management systems and ensure comprehensive protection against persistent threats targeting enterprise infrastructure.