CVE-2017-3823 in WebEx
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in the Cisco WebEx Extension before 1.0.7 on Google Chrome, the ActiveTouch General Plugin Container before 106 on Mozilla Firefox, the GpcContainer Class ActiveX control plugin before 10031.6.2017.0126 on Internet Explorer, and the Download Manager ActiveX control plugin before 2.1.0.10 on Internet Explorer. A vulnerability in these Cisco WebEx browser extensions could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected browser on an affected system. This vulnerability affects the browser extensions for Cisco WebEx Meetings Server and Cisco WebEx Centers (Meeting Center, Event Center, Training Center, and Support Center) when they are running on Microsoft Windows. The vulnerability is a design defect in an application programing interface (API) response parser within the extension. An attacker that can convince an affected user to visit an attacker-controlled web page or follow an attacker-supplied link with an affected browser could exploit the vulnerability. If successful, the attacker could execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected browser.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2017-3823 represents a critical security flaw in Cisco WebEx browser extensions across multiple platforms and browsers. This weakness affects the Cisco WebEx Extension for Google Chrome prior to version 1.0.7, the ActiveTouch General Plugin Container for Mozilla Firefox before version 106, and ActiveX controls for Internet Explorer including the GpcContainer Class plugin before version 10031.6.2017.0126 and the Download Manager ActiveX control before version 2.1.0.10. The vulnerability specifically targets the browser extensions used with Cisco WebEx Meetings Server and Cisco WebEx Centers including Meeting Center, Event Center, Training Center, and Support Center operating on Microsoft Windows systems. This issue constitutes a design defect within the application programming interface response parser component of these extensions, creating a significant attack surface that could be exploited by remote threat actors.
The technical flaw manifests through improper input validation and processing within the API response parser functionality of the affected browser extensions. When users visit malicious web pages or click on attacker-controlled links, the vulnerable extensions process these inputs without adequate sanitization or security checks. The parser fails to properly validate or sanitize data received from remote sources, allowing attackers to inject malicious code that gets executed within the context of the affected browser process. This creates a privilege escalation scenario where the attacker's malicious code runs with the same privileges as the browser itself, potentially enabling full system compromise. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means attackers don't require local system access or authentication to initiate the attack vector, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently access external web content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution capabilities, representing a substantial threat to enterprise security infrastructure. Organizations utilizing Cisco WebEx services for meetings, training, and collaboration are at risk of unauthorized code execution on their endpoints, potentially leading to data breaches, system compromise, or lateral movement within network environments. The widespread adoption of WebEx services across corporate networks means that successful exploitation could affect numerous systems simultaneously, especially in environments where users regularly access external websites or receive email attachments containing malicious links. The vulnerability's presence in multiple browser environments including Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer increases the attack surface significantly, as organizations cannot rely on browser-specific mitigations alone.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including prompt patching of affected browser extensions to versions 1.0.7 or later for Chrome, 106 or later for Firefox, and the respective updated ActiveX control versions for Internet Explorer. Network administrators should consider implementing web filtering solutions to block access to known malicious domains and monitor for suspicious web traffic patterns. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of improper input validation that enables arbitrary code execution. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1203 for exploitation for client execution, demonstrating how attackers can leverage browser extension vulnerabilities to establish persistent access to target systems. Organizations should also consider deploying endpoint detection and response solutions to monitor for suspicious process execution patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.