CVE-2016-9208 in Emergency Responder
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the File Management Utility, the Download File form, and the Serviceability application of Cisco Emergency Responder could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to access files in arbitrary locations on the file system of an affected device. More Information: CSCva98951 CSCva98954 CSCvb57494. Known Affected Releases: 11.5(2.10000.5). Known Fixed Releases: 12.0(0.98000.14) 12.0(0.98000.16).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/06/2022
This vulnerability resides within Cisco Emergency Responder's file management infrastructure, specifically affecting the File Management Utility, Download File form, and Serviceability application components. The flaw represents a classic path traversal vulnerability that enables authenticated remote attackers to escalate their privileges and access arbitrary files on the affected device's file system. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper file path handling within the application's file access mechanisms, allowing attackers to manipulate file system requests through crafted input parameters.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits weak sanitization of user-supplied input within the file management interfaces. Attackers can construct malicious file paths that bypass normal access controls and traverse the file system to access sensitive files including configuration data, logs, and potentially system binaries. This weakness directly maps to CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The vulnerability's exploitation requires authentication, making it a privilege escalation issue rather than a simple remote code execution vector, though it still represents a significant security risk in environments where authentication credentials might be compromised.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-9208 extends beyond simple unauthorized file access, as it can lead to complete system compromise when combined with other attack vectors. An attacker with valid credentials could potentially access system configuration files, user data, or sensitive operational information that could be used for further exploitation or to facilitate additional attacks within the network. This vulnerability affects the core serviceability features of Cisco Emergency Responder, which are critical for system maintenance and troubleshooting, making it particularly dangerous for organizations relying on these emergency response capabilities. The affected version 11.5(2.10000.5) represents a specific release where this flaw was present, and the subsequent fixes in versions 12.0(0.98000.14) and 12.0(0.98000.16) demonstrate Cisco's recognition of the severity and the need for immediate remediation.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the available patches and updates, reviewing access controls and authentication mechanisms, and monitoring for suspicious file access patterns. Network segmentation and principle of least privilege should be enforced to limit the potential impact of credential compromise. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of input validation and secure coding practices, particularly within serviceability and management interfaces that handle file operations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and credential access, with potential for lateral movement if attackers can leverage the accessed information to gain further system access or escalate their privileges within the environment.