CVE-2017-6717 in FirePOWER Management Center
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web framework of Cisco Firepower Management Center could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the web interface. More Information: CSCvc38801. Known Affected Releases: 6.0.1.3 6.2.1. Known Fixed Releases: 6.2.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6717 resides within the web framework of Cisco Firepower Management Center, a critical security appliance designed for network security policy management and threat detection. This weakness represents a significant security flaw that enables authenticated remote attackers to execute cross-site scripting attacks against unsuspecting users interacting with the web interface. The vulnerability specifically affects versions 6.0.1.3 and 6.2.1 of the Firepower Management Center software, with the issue being remediated in version 6.2.1, which serves as the fixed release for this particular flaw.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the web application framework of the Firepower Management Center. When authenticated users navigate to specific web pages or interact with certain interface elements, maliciously crafted input data can be injected into the web application's response without proper sanitization. This allows attackers who have already established authentication credentials to manipulate the web interface in ways that can execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the victim's browser session. The flaw operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities where web applications fail to properly validate or encode user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-6717 extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it provides attackers with a foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the network security infrastructure. An authenticated attacker could potentially leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, access sensitive configuration data, or redirect users to malicious websites that could further compromise the network environment. The attack vector requires only authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by insiders or compromised user accounts. According to the ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving web application attacks and session management flaws, specifically targeting the web interface as a primary attack surface. The implications are particularly severe for organizations relying on Firepower Management Center for critical network security operations, as successful exploitation could undermine the integrity and confidentiality of the entire security infrastructure.
Organizations should immediately implement the patched version 6.2.1 to remediate this vulnerability, as the fix addresses the core input validation issues that enable the XSS attack. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing additional security controls such as web application firewalls, regular security assessments of the web interface, and enhanced monitoring for suspicious activities within the Firepower Management Center environment. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper input validation mechanisms in web applications. Security teams should also conduct thorough testing of the patched environment to ensure that the remediation does not introduce any regressions in functionality while maintaining the integrity of the security management platform.