CVE-2017-3811 in WebEx Meetings Server
Summary
by MITRE
An XML External Entity vulnerability in Cisco WebEx Meetings Server could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to have read access to part of the information stored in the affected system. More Information: CSCvc39165. Known Affected Releases: 2.6. Known Fixed Releases: 2.7.1.2054.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2017-3811 represents a critical XML External Entity processing flaw within Cisco WebEx Meetings Server version 2.6. This security weakness falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-611, which specifically addresses XML External Entity processing vulnerabilities that can lead to information disclosure and potentially more severe attacks. The flaw exists in how the system handles XML data processing, particularly when parsing external entities that reference local files or network resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows an authenticated remote attacker to manipulate XML processing requests and gain unauthorized read access to sensitive information stored within the affected system. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting specially formatted XML requests that reference internal system files or directories, thereby bypassing normal access controls and extracting confidential data. The vulnerability specifically affects the server's handling of XML data during meeting management operations and user authentication processes, where XML parsing occurs without proper validation of external entity references.
Operationally, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on Cisco WebEx Meetings Server for business communications and collaboration. The authenticated access requirement means that attackers must first compromise valid user credentials, but once achieved, they can access sensitive meeting data, user information, system configurations, and potentially other confidential resources stored within the server's file system. This information disclosure could enable further attacks such as privilege escalation, data exfiltration, or targeted social engineering campaigns against system users and administrators.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including upgrading to Cisco WebEx Meetings Server version 2.7.1.2054 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Additionally, network segmentation and access control measures should be enforced to limit exposure of the affected system to untrusted networks. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous XML processing patterns and unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation and T1005 for data from local system, emphasizing the need for comprehensive defensive measures. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other enterprise collaboration platforms and ensure overall system resilience against similar XML external entity processing threats.