CVE-2016-1437 in Prime Collaboration Deployment
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the SQL database in Cisco Prime Collaboration Deployment before 11.5.1 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary SQL commands via a crafted URL, aka Bug ID CSCuy92549.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/24/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1437 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within Cisco Prime Collaboration Deployment software versions prior to 11.5.1. This vulnerability specifically targets the SQL database component of the platform, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate database operations through carefully crafted web requests. The issue manifests when authenticated users submit specially constructed URLs that contain malicious SQL payloads, enabling them to bypass normal authentication mechanisms and directly interact with the underlying database system. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-89 category, which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws, and aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation. The affected Cisco Prime Collaboration Deployment platform serves as a central management system for enterprise communication infrastructure, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could provide attackers with access to sensitive organizational data and system configurations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of URL parameters that are not properly sanitized before being processed by the database layer. When authenticated users access maliciously crafted URLs, the application fails to adequately validate or escape user input before incorporating it into SQL queries. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary SQL commands that execute with the privileges of the database user account, potentially enabling full database compromise. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the system, and the authenticated requirement reduces the attack surface compared to fully unauthenticated exploits, though it still represents a significant security risk. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as attackers can modify database content, execute administrative commands, and potentially escalate privileges within the broader network infrastructure managed by Cisco Prime Collaboration Deployment.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-1437 is substantial for organizations relying on Cisco Prime Collaboration Deployment for their communication management. Successful exploitation could result in complete database compromise, leading to unauthorized access to user credentials, configuration data, and potentially sensitive corporate information. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the entire collaboration platform, as database manipulation could alter system behavior, disable critical services, or provide attackers with persistent access to the network infrastructure. Organizations using affected versions face risks including data breaches, service disruption, and potential regulatory compliance violations, particularly in industries with strict data protection requirements. The vulnerability's presence in a central management system means that a successful attack could cascade across multiple communication services, affecting VoIP systems, video conferencing platforms, and other collaboration tools managed by the Cisco Prime environment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-1437 primarily focus on immediate software updates and input validation improvements. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to Cisco Prime Collaboration Deployment version 11.5.1 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the SQL injection vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms can help prevent similar issues in other applications within the network infrastructure. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual database access patterns and malformed URL requests that could indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and penetration testing of the collaboration infrastructure should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. The implementation of web application firewalls and database activity monitoring solutions can provide additional layers of protection against SQL injection attacks targeting the platform. Organizations should also ensure that database user accounts have minimal required privileges and that proper audit logging is enabled to track all database interactions for forensic analysis purposes.