CVE-2016-1358 in Prime Infrastructure
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Prime Infrastructure 2.2, 3.0, and 3.1(0.0) allows remote authenticated users to read arbitrary files or cause a denial of service via an XML document containing an external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference, related to an XML External Entity (XXE) issue, aka Bug ID CSCuw81497.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2022
Cisco Prime Infrastructure versions 2.2, 3.0, and 3.1(0.0) contain a critical XML External Entity vulnerability that enables remote authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary file reads or cause denial of service conditions through crafted XML documents. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the application's XML processing functionality, specifically when handling external entity declarations and references in XML documents. The flaw exists in the application's XML parser implementation which fails to properly sanitize or restrict external entity references, allowing malicious users to craft XML payloads that can access local system resources or trigger resource exhaustion conditions.
The vulnerability operates through a classic XML External Entity attack pattern where an attacker constructs an XML document containing an external entity declaration that references local files or network resources. When the vulnerable system processes this malformed XML, it resolves the external entity references, potentially exposing sensitive system files, configuration data, or database contents to unauthorized access. The attack requires authentication to the system, limiting its scope but not eliminating the severity of impact. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-611 (Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference) and represents a fundamental flaw in the application's XML processing architecture that violates secure coding practices for input validation and sanitization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can also lead to complete system compromise through denial of service conditions. An attacker could craft malicious XML payloads that cause the application to consume excessive system resources, leading to service disruption or complete system unavailability. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Cisco Prime Infrastructure, indicating a widespread issue within the product line that requires immediate attention. Organizations utilizing these versions face significant risk of unauthorized data access and service disruption, particularly in environments where the system handles sensitive network infrastructure data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include applying the latest security patches provided by Cisco, which address the XML processing flaws in the affected versions. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit the attack surface, ensuring that only authorized personnel can access the vulnerable system. Input validation mechanisms should be strengthened to prevent processing of XML documents containing external entity declarations, and regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1213 (Data from Information Repositories) and T1499 (Endpoint Denial of Service) techniques, highlighting the dual nature of the threat as both data exfiltration and service disruption vector. System administrators should also consider implementing XML firewall rules and monitoring for suspicious XML processing activities to detect potential exploitation attempts.