CVE-2016-6370 in Hosted Collaboration Mediation Fulfillment
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in the web interface in Cisco Hosted Collaboration Mediation Fulfillment (HCM-F) 10.6(3) and earlier allows remote authenticated users to read arbitrary files via a crafted pathname in an HTTP request, aka Bug ID CSCuz27255.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2022
The Cisco Hosted Collaboration Mediation Fulfillment HCM-F 10.6(3) and earlier versions contain a critical directory traversal vulnerability that enables remote authenticated attackers to access arbitrary files on the affected system. This vulnerability exists within the web interface component of the HCM-F platform, which serves as a mediation and fulfillment service for hosted collaboration solutions. The flaw allows an attacker who has already established authentication credentials to manipulate file path parameters in HTTP requests, thereby bypassing normal access controls and potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive system files, configuration data, and potentially even system-level information that could compromise the entire collaboration infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and path sanitization within the web interface's file handling mechanisms. When processing HTTP requests containing file path parameters, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied input, allowing attackers to craft malicious pathnames that traverse the directory structure using sequences such as "../" or similar traversal patterns. This weakness directly maps to CWE-22, which categorizes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as directory traversal or path traversal attacks. The vulnerability specifically affects the web interface component where file operations are performed, making it possible for authenticated users to escalate their privileges and access files outside of their intended scope.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized file access, as it can potentially lead to complete system compromise and data exfiltration. Attackers could leverage this weakness to access sensitive configuration files that might contain database credentials, encryption keys, or other system parameters that could facilitate further attacks. The vulnerability affects the HCM-F platform's ability to maintain proper access controls, potentially allowing attackers to read system logs, application source code, or other confidential information that could be used for privilege escalation or lateral movement within the network. This represents a significant security risk for organizations relying on Cisco's hosted collaboration services, as the vulnerability could be exploited to gain insights into the internal workings of the collaboration infrastructure and potentially compromise user data or communications.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Cisco, which address the directory traversal issue through proper input validation and path sanitization. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enhanced to limit the impact of potential exploitation, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual file access patterns or path traversal attempts. The implementation of web application firewalls and input validation rules can provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any other components within their hosted collaboration infrastructure that might be susceptible to similar directory traversal attacks, ensuring that all systems maintain proper file access controls and input validation mechanisms. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper input validation and access control implementation in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive enterprise collaboration data.