CVE-2016-6442 in Finesse
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in Cisco Finesse Agent and Supervisor Desktop Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attack against the user of the web interface. More Information: CSCvb57213. Known Affected Releases: 11.0(1).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/28/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6442 affects Cisco Finesse Agent and Supervisor Desktop Software version 11.0(1), representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of the web-based user interface. This issue stems from insufficient validation of cross-site request forgery attacks, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system without requiring authentication credentials. The vulnerability specifically targets the web interface components of the Cisco Finesse platform, which is widely used in contact center environments for agent and supervisor desktop functionalities. The flaw allows an attacker to manipulate the web application through crafted requests that would be executed by authenticated users, potentially leading to unauthorized actions within the system.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability occurs when the web application fails to properly validate the origin of requests made to its interface. In the context of Cisco Finesse, this means that legitimate requests from authenticated users can be hijacked and manipulated by an attacker who crafts malicious requests that appear to originate from the victim's browser. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the application layer, where user sessions are already established, making it difficult to distinguish between legitimate and malicious requests. This weakness aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities in web applications. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires no authentication, allowing remote exploitation from any location, and can potentially lead to complete compromise of user sessions and unauthorized administrative actions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or manipulation, as it can enable attackers to perform administrative functions within the contact center environment. This includes but is not limited to modifying agent configurations, accessing sensitive customer data, altering call routing, and potentially disrupting business operations. The consequences are particularly severe in enterprise environments where Cisco Finesse is deployed for mission-critical customer service operations. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to customer information, manipulate call handling processes, or even disable critical contact center functionality. The impact is further amplified by the fact that the vulnerability affects the supervisor desktop, which typically holds elevated privileges and access to sensitive operational data. This represents a significant risk to data integrity and business continuity, as the exploitation could lead to service disruptions and potential compliance violations in regulated environments.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations to protect their systems from potential exploitation. The primary recommended approach involves applying the official Cisco security patches and updates that address the CSRF validation issues within the Finesse software. Additionally, network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide an additional layer of defense by monitoring and filtering suspicious cross-site requests. Configuration changes should include implementing proper CSRF token validation mechanisms and ensuring that all web applications enforce strict origin validation. Security teams should also consider network segmentation to limit access to the affected systems and implement monitoring solutions to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence, as attackers could use the CSRF flaw to gain elevated privileges and establish long-term access to the system. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments to identify any potential post-exploitation activities and ensure that their incident response procedures include specific protocols for handling CSRF-related incidents.