CVE-2017-12286 in Jabber
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web interface of Cisco Jabber could allow an authenticated, local attacker to retrieve user profile information from the affected software, which could lead to the disclosure of confidential information. The vulnerability is due to a lack of input and validation checks in the affected software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating locally to an affected system and then issuing specific commands to the affected software. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to view all profile information for a user instead of only certain Jabber parameters that should be visible. This vulnerability affects all releases of Cisco Jabber prior to Release 1.9.31. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCve52418.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12286 represents a critical authorization flaw within Cisco Jabber's web interface that undermines the security posture of enterprise communication systems. This issue stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user inputs before processing them within the application's authentication and profile retrieval pathways. The vulnerability specifically affects Cisco Jabber versions prior to Release 1.9.31, making it a significant concern for organizations that have not yet upgraded their deployment. The flaw exists in the software's handling of authenticated local access requests, where proper access controls are not enforced during profile information retrieval operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a well-defined attack vector that requires an authenticated local attacker to leverage existing system credentials to access restricted user profile data. This represents a classic privilege escalation scenario where legitimate users with local access can bypass intended access controls to obtain unauthorized information. The vulnerability manifests as a lack of proper input validation checks that should normally prevent attackers from querying sensitive user data beyond their intended scope. According to the Cisco Bug ID CSCve52418, the flaw allows attackers to retrieve comprehensive user profile information rather than being limited to standard Jabber parameters that should remain restricted. This represents a significant information disclosure risk that can expose sensitive personal and professional data to unauthorized individuals within the local network.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-12286 extends beyond simple data exposure to potentially compromise broader enterprise security through credential harvesting and user reconnaissance activities. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gather detailed user profile information including contact details, authentication credentials, and potentially sensitive communication patterns that could facilitate further attacks. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that should govern all enterprise applications. The attack scenario follows patterns consistent with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1087 which covers account discovery, as attackers can leverage legitimate local access to enumerate user profiles and potentially escalate their access further.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through the deployment of Cisco Jabber Release 1.9.31 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the input validation shortcomings. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive network monitoring to detect unusual local access patterns and potential exploitation attempts. System administrators should also implement additional access controls and audit procedures to monitor profile retrieval activities within the Jabber environment. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected versions of Cisco Jabber and ensure proper patch management procedures are in place to prevent similar issues in the future. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in web applications and highlights the need for continuous security testing and monitoring of enterprise communication platforms.