CVE-2016-6429 in IP Interoperability
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web framework code of the Cisco IP Interoperability and Collaboration System (IPICS) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack. More Information: CSCva47092. Known Affected Releases: 4.10(1).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6429 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the web framework components of Cisco's IP Interoperability and Collaboration System version 4.10(1). This system serves as a unified communications platform that facilitates voice, video, and messaging services within enterprise environments, making it a prime target for malicious actors seeking to exploit web-based security weaknesses. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web interface, creating an avenue for attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of authenticated users' browsers.
This XSS vulnerability operates through the exploitation of improper sanitization of user-supplied input parameters within the web application's request handling mechanisms. The flaw allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to craft malicious payloads that, when executed, can manipulate the web application's behavior and potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or execute unauthorized actions on behalf of legitimate users. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-79 indicates a classic cross-site scripting weakness where the application fails to properly validate or escape user-provided data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it can enable more sophisticated attacks within the enterprise network environment. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, access sensitive communication data, or establish persistent access points within the unified communications infrastructure. The attack vector requires no authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited from any location with network connectivity to the affected system. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for social engineering and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage, as successful exploitation would likely involve subsequent attack stages.
Organizations utilizing Cisco IPICS version 4.10(1) face significant security risks from this vulnerability, as it undermines the integrity and confidentiality of unified communications services. The potential for lateral movement within networks increases substantially when attackers can establish persistent access through web-based exploitation. Mitigation strategies should include immediate implementation of Cisco's security patches and updates, deployment of web application firewalls to filter malicious payloads, and enhanced monitoring of web application logs for suspicious activity. Additionally, network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, while security awareness training should emphasize the importance of verifying all web application interactions and maintaining up-to-date system configurations to prevent such vulnerabilities from being exploited in real-world scenarios.