CVE-2016-6444 in Meeting Server
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in Cisco Meeting Server could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attack against a Web Bridge user. More Information: CSCvb03308. Known Affected Releases: 1.8, 1.9, 2.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/14/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6444 resides within Cisco Meeting Server versions 1.8, 1.9, and 2.0, representing a critical cross-site request forgery flaw that enables unauthenticated remote attackers to manipulate web bridge user sessions. This vulnerability operates through the absence of proper anti-CSRF protection mechanisms within the web interface of the affected Cisco Meeting Server components. The flaw specifically impacts the Web Bridge functionality, which serves as a critical interface for meeting management and user authentication within the Cisco Meeting Server ecosystem. The vulnerability stems from the server's failure to implement robust session validation controls, allowing malicious actors to craft forged requests that appear legitimate to the target system.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability exploits the trust relationship between the Cisco Meeting Server and its web interface users. When a victim user accesses the web bridge interface, the server does not adequately validate the origin or authenticity of subsequent requests, particularly those involving session management or configuration changes. Attackers can leverage this weakness by constructing malicious web pages or emails containing embedded requests that, when executed by an authenticated user, perform unauthorized actions within the context of the victim's session. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication from the attacker, making it an attractive target for automated exploitation campaigns. This flaw aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities in web applications, and represents a significant deviation from secure coding practices that mandate proper request origin validation.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-6444 extends beyond simple unauthorized access, potentially enabling attackers to execute a wide range of malicious activities within the compromised environment. An attacker could manipulate meeting configurations, modify user permissions, or even gain unauthorized access to sensitive meeting data and communications. The vulnerability particularly threatens organizations relying on Cisco Meeting Server for enterprise collaboration, as successful exploitation could compromise the integrity of critical business meetings and communications. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can operate from anywhere in the world without requiring physical access to the network, significantly expanding the attack surface. This vulnerability also represents a potential vector for privilege escalation attacks, as the compromised web bridge interface may provide access to administrative functions that could further compromise the entire meeting server infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-6444 must focus on implementing comprehensive anti-CSRF protections within the Cisco Meeting Server environment. Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided security patches and updates released to address this vulnerability, as Cisco has documented the issue in CSCvb03308 with specific remediation guidance. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of the web bridge interface to trusted users only, reducing the potential attack surface. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious CSRF patterns, and establish monitoring protocols to identify anomalous behavior in meeting server usage. The implementation of proper session management controls, including the use of anti-CSRF tokens for all state-changing operations, should be enforced across the affected system. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any additional weaknesses in the meeting server configuration that could be exploited in conjunction with this CSRF vulnerability, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploiting web application vulnerabilities and T1071.3 for application layer protocol usage.