CVE-2016-1413 in FirePOWER Management Center
Summary
by MITRE
The web interface in Cisco Firepower Management Center 5.4.0 through 6.0.0.1 allows remote authenticated users to modify pages by placing crafted code in a parameter value, aka Bug ID CSCuy76517.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/26/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2016-1413 represents a significant security flaw in Cisco Firepower Management Center software versions 5.4.0 through 6.0.0.1. This issue affects the web interface component of the security management platform, which is designed to provide centralized management for network security appliances. The vulnerability manifests as an insufficient input validation flaw that allows authenticated attackers to manipulate web pages through parameter manipulation. The bug identifier CSCuy76517 highlights the specific nature of this security weakness within Cisco's product line.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied input parameters within the web interface. When authenticated users submit crafted code within parameter values, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize these inputs before processing them. This creates an environment where malicious actors can inject arbitrary code that gets executed within the context of the web application. The vulnerability specifically targets the parameter handling mechanisms that control page modification functionality, allowing attackers to manipulate the underlying web pages through legitimate authenticated sessions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses a serious threat to network security infrastructure management. Since the attack requires only authenticated access, it can be exploited by insiders or compromised legitimate users with appropriate credentials. The impact extends beyond simple data manipulation as the ability to modify web pages could allow attackers to inject malicious content, alter security policies, or redirect users to malicious sites. This represents a privilege escalation vulnerability that undermines the integrity of the management interface, potentially compromising the entire security infrastructure that the Firepower Management Center oversees.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) issues, and represents a variant of insecure input handling that enables code injection attacks. From the MITRE ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be leveraged as part of a broader attack chain under techniques such as T1059 for command and control execution, or T1566 for social engineering through compromised web interfaces. Organizations using Cisco Firepower Management Center should consider this vulnerability as a potential entry point for more sophisticated attacks targeting their network security infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of affected software versions, implementation of web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious parameter inputs, and enhanced monitoring of web interface activities for unauthorized page modifications. Network segmentation and principle of least privilege should be enforced to limit the scope of potential exploitation. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their management interfaces and implement robust input validation controls to prevent similar vulnerabilities from existing in other components of their security infrastructure.