CVE-2017-12370 in WebEx Network Recording Player
Summary
by MITRE
A "Cisco WebEx Network Recording Player Remote Code Execution Vulnerability" exists in Cisco WebEx Network Recording Player for Advanced Recording Format (ARF) and WebEx Recording Format (WRF) files. A remote attacker could exploit this by providing a user with a malicious ARF or WRF file via email or URL and convincing the user to launch the file. Exploitation of this could cause an affected player to crash and, in some cases, could allow arbitrary code execution on the system of a targeted user. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvf38060, CSCvg54836, CSCvf38077, CSCvg54843, CSCvf38084, CSCvg54850.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2021
The vulnerability CVE-2017-12370 represents a critical remote code execution flaw in Cisco WebEx Network Recording Player software that affects the handling of Advanced Recording Format (ARF) and WebEx Recording Format (WRF) files. This vulnerability resides in the player's parsing mechanism for multimedia recording files, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit through social engineering campaigns. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and memory corruption issues within the file processing pipeline, allowing attackers to craft malicious recording files that can trigger unintended behavior when opened by unsuspecting users. The vulnerability impacts multiple versions of Cisco WebEx Network Recording Player across different operating systems, making it particularly dangerous due to its widespread deployment in enterprise environments where collaboration and remote meeting tools are extensively used.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves buffer overflow conditions and memory corruption issues that occur during the parsing of malformed ARF and WRF files. When a user opens a specially crafted recording file, the player's processing routine fails to properly validate the file structure and content, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the application. The exploit requires minimal user interaction beyond opening the malicious file, making it particularly effective for phishing campaigns and targeted attacks. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow scenarios. The attack vector specifically maps to ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploitation of remote services through malicious file delivery, and T1059, which encompasses command and scripting interpreter usage for code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system compromise, as successful exploitation can lead to complete system takeover, data exfiltration, and lateral movement within network environments. Organizations utilizing Cisco WebEx for business communications face elevated risk due to the nature of the attack vector, which relies on user trust and social engineering rather than technical system weaknesses. The vulnerability's ability to cause system crashes and arbitrary code execution creates multiple attack paths for threat actors, including persistent backdoor installation, credential theft, and network reconnaissance activities. Security teams must consider the potential for this vulnerability to be used in advanced persistent threat campaigns, where attackers leverage the trusted nature of collaboration tools to maintain long-term access to target networks. The widespread adoption of Cisco WebEx across enterprise environments means that successful exploitation can result in significant business disruption and data compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-12370 should prioritize immediate patch deployment from Cisco, as the vendor released security advisories and software updates addressing the specific buffer overflow conditions. Network administrators must implement strict file type controls and email filtering mechanisms to prevent malicious ARF and WRF files from reaching end users, while also educating staff about the dangers of opening untrusted recording files from unknown sources. The implementation of application whitelisting policies can help prevent unauthorized execution of the vulnerable player software, and regular security assessments should verify that all instances of Cisco WebEx Network Recording Player have been updated to secure versions. Organizations should also consider network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while monitoring for suspicious file access patterns and unusual network behavior that might indicate compromise. Additionally, security teams should maintain updated threat intelligence feeds to identify and block known malicious file hashes associated with this vulnerability.