CVE-2017-3872 in Unified Communications Manager
Summary
by MITRE
A cross-site scripting (XSS) filter bypass vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Unified Communications Manager could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct XSS attacks against a user of an affected device. More Information: CSCvc21620. Known Affected Releases: 10.5(2.14076.1). Known Fixed Releases: 12.0(0.98000.641) 12.0(0.98000.500) 12.0(0.98000.219).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2017-3872 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Cisco Unified Communications Manager's web-based management interface. This security weakness specifically affects version 10.5(2.14076.1) and creates a pathway for unauthenticated remote attackers to execute malicious scripts against unsuspecting users who interact with the affected system. The vulnerability stems from an insufficient input validation mechanism that fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it within the web interface context, allowing attackers to inject malicious payloads that can execute in the victim's browser session.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a bypass of the existing XSS filter mechanisms that should normally prevent malicious script execution. When users access the web management interface and interact with input fields or parameters that are not properly validated, the system fails to adequately sanitize the input data. This weakness falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a filter bypass scenario where the security controls designed to prevent XSS attacks are circumvented. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication credentials, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can reach the affected system's web interface.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations relying on Cisco Unified Communications Manager for their voice and collaboration infrastructure. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users, redirect victims to malicious websites, or harvest sensitive information from the communication environment. The web-based management interface typically contains administrative functions and configuration data that could provide attackers with extensive access to the underlying communication system, potentially leading to complete compromise of the voice infrastructure and associated data. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 for phishing and T1059 for command and script injection, as it enables attackers to execute malicious code within the context of legitimate user sessions.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the patched releases mentioned in the advisory, specifically versions 12.0(0.98000.641), 12.0(0.98000.500), and 12.0(0.98000.219, which contain the necessary fixes for the XSS filter bypass. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of the web management interface to only authorized administrative users. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and enhanced input validation measures can provide additional defense-in-depth layers. Regular security assessments and monitoring of web interface access logs should be conducted to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web applications, as specified in OWASP Top 10 and NIST cybersecurity guidelines for secure coding practices.