CVE-2016-6468 in Emergency Responder
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Emergency Responder could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attack and perform arbitrary actions on an affected device. More Information: CSCvb06663. Known Affected Releases: 11.5(1.10000.4). Known Fixed Releases: 12.0(0.98000.14).
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/06/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6468 resides within the web-based management interface of Cisco Emergency Responder software, representing a critical security flaw that exposes organizations to unauthorized remote exploitation. This issue affects version 11.5(1.10000.4) and demonstrates how web application interfaces can become entry points for sophisticated cyber attacks when proper security controls are absent. The vulnerability specifically enables an unauthenticated attacker to execute cross-site request forgery attacks, which fundamentally undermines the security model of the affected system by allowing malicious actors to perform actions on behalf of legitimate users without requiring valid credentials.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper validation mechanisms within the web interface's request processing logic. When users interact with the Cisco Emergency Responder management interface, the application fails to implement adequate anti-CSRF tokens or other protective measures that would normally prevent unauthorized requests from being executed. This flaw aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities in web applications. The attack vector operates through the manipulation of web requests that are automatically executed in the context of an authenticated session, allowing an attacker to leverage the victim's privileges to perform unauthorized administrative actions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary actions on the affected device with potentially severe consequences for emergency response systems. Organizations relying on Cisco Emergency Responder for critical infrastructure protection face significant risks when this vulnerability remains unpatched, as attackers could modify system configurations, disable emergency response capabilities, or manipulate critical communication channels. The unauthenticated nature of the attack means that no prior credentials or privileged access are required, making the exploitation accessible to any remote attacker with network connectivity to the affected system. This vulnerability directly violates fundamental security principles and could compromise the integrity and availability of emergency response services that organizations depend upon during critical situations.
Organizations must prioritize the immediate deployment of the patched release 12.0(0.98000.14 to address this vulnerability, as the risk of exploitation remains high given the nature of the flaw. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of the affected system to trusted networks only, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect anomalous administrative activities that might indicate successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs that can identify and remediate similar flaws in web-based management interfaces. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access and privilege escalation through web application exploitation, emphasizing the need for comprehensive defensive measures including web application firewalls and proper input validation controls to prevent such attacks from succeeding in operational environments.