CVE-2017-12298 in WebEx Meeting Center
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in Cisco WebEx Meeting Center could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of an affected system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of some parameters that are passed to the web server of the affected system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by convincing a user to follow a malicious link or by intercepting a user request and injecting malicious code into the request. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary script code in the context of the affected web interface or allow the attacker to access sensitive browser-based information. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvf78615, CSCvf78628.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12298 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Cisco WebEx Meeting Center, a widely deployed web conferencing platform that facilitates virtual meetings and collaboration. This security weakness stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the web server component of the affected system, creating an exploitable entry point for malicious actors. The vulnerability specifically targets parameters that are processed by the web server, failing to properly sanitize or validate user-supplied data before incorporating it into web responses. The flaw enables an unauthenticated remote attacker to execute malicious code within the context of a victim's browser session, potentially compromising user security and data integrity.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through several attack vectors that leverage the insufficient input validation. An attacker can craft malicious links designed to exploit the XSS vulnerability and persuade users to click on them through social engineering tactics or by embedding the links in compromised communications. Alternatively, attackers can intercept legitimate user requests and modify them to inject malicious script code, a technique that falls under the category of man-in-the-middle attacks. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution, as successful exploitation can enable attackers to access sensitive browser-based information, manipulate user sessions, and potentially escalate privileges within the web application context. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as Cross-site Scripting, which represents one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws.
The operational implications of CVE-2017-12298 are severe for organizations relying on Cisco WebEx Meeting Center for their collaborative infrastructure. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to user sessions, potentially leading to data breaches, session hijacking, and unauthorized access to sensitive meeting content. The unauthenticated nature of the attack means that no prior credentials are required to exploit the vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with limited network segmentation or monitoring capabilities. Organizations may experience disruption to their meeting services, potential exposure of confidential business information, and increased risk of follow-on attacks targeting authenticated users within the compromised session. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the web interface, potentially rendering the platform unusable or compromising its integrity.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-12298 should focus on immediate remediation through official Cisco security patches and updates. Organizations must prioritize applying the vendor-supplied fixes that address the input validation deficiencies in the web server component. Network administrators should implement additional defensive measures including web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script injection attempts, enhanced monitoring for suspicious user behavior, and regular security assessments of web applications. Input sanitization mechanisms should be strengthened across all web applications to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging, with particular attention to parameter validation and output encoding. Security teams should also consider implementing content security policies and strict access controls to limit the potential impact of any successful XSS attacks. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the technique of "Cross-Site Scripting" with potential for privilege escalation and credential theft, making comprehensive defense-in-depth strategies essential for protecting against exploitation attempts.