CVE-2017-3886 in Unified Communications Manager
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the Cisco Unified Communications Manager web interface could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to impact the confidentiality of the system by executing arbitrary SQL queries, aka SQL Injection. The attacker must be authenticated as an administrative user to execute SQL database queries. More Information: CSCvc74291. Known Affected Releases: 1.0(1.10000.10) 11.5(1.10000.6). Known Fixed Releases: 12.0(0.98000.619) 12.0(0.98000.485) 12.0(0.98000.212) 11.5(1.13035.1) 11.0(1.23900.5) 11.0(1.23900.2) 11.0(1.23067.1) 10.5(2.15900.2).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2017-3886 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within Cisco Unified Communications Manager web interface that fundamentally compromises system confidentiality. This weakness exists in the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the unified communications platform, creating an avenue for malicious actors to manipulate database queries through the web administration interface. The vulnerability specifically affects versions of Cisco Unified Communications Manager where the web interface fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into backend database operations, enabling attackers to craft malicious SQL statements that can be executed with administrative privileges.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to first establish administrative authentication credentials, which significantly reduces the attack surface compared to unauthenticated exploits but does not eliminate the severity of the issue. Once authenticated, the attacker can leverage the SQL injection capability to execute arbitrary database queries, potentially accessing sensitive information such as user credentials, system configurations, communication records, and other confidential data stored within the unified communications database. This flaw falls under the CWE-89 category of SQL Injection, which is classified as a critical weakness in software security that allows attackers to manipulate database queries and access protected information. The vulnerability specifically targets the web interface components of Cisco Unified Communications Manager, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely heavily on web-based administrative functions for their communication infrastructure management.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it enables attackers to potentially modify or delete database entries, disrupt communication services, and establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure. Organizations using affected versions of Cisco Unified Communications Manager face significant risks including unauthorized access to sensitive communication data, potential service disruption, and the possibility of lateral movement within the network through stolen administrative credentials. The attack vector requires network access and valid administrative credentials, making it less likely to be exploited by casual attackers but still highly dangerous for determined threat actors who have already gained administrative access or can compromise administrative accounts through other means. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for Valid Accounts and T1046 for Network Service Scanning, as it leverages legitimate administrative access to execute malicious database operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-3886 involve immediate implementation of software updates to the fixed releases specified in the advisory, which address the SQL injection vulnerability through proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces, enforce strong authentication controls including multi-factor authentication, and establish monitoring procedures to detect anomalous database access patterns. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other network components, while access controls should be strictly enforced to minimize the number of users with administrative privileges. The remediation process must include thorough testing of updated software to ensure that the security patches do not introduce compatibility issues with existing communication services, and organizations should maintain detailed audit logs of all administrative activities for forensic analysis and compliance purposes.