CVE-2017-6733 in Identity Services Engine
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based application interface of the Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) portal could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the web interface of an affected system. More Information: CSCvd87482. Known Affected Releases: 2.1(102.101) 2.2(0.283) 2.3(0.151).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/31/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6733 resides within the web-based application interface of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) portal software, representing a critical security flaw that exposes organizations to remote exploitation. This issue affects specific release versions including 2.1(102.101), 2.2(0.283), and 2.3(0.151) of the ISE platform, which serves as a network access control solution for enterprise environments. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the web interface, creating a pathway for malicious actors to inject persistent malicious scripts into the system's data storage mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in web applications that allow attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. In this specific instance, the stored XSS attack occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input that gets permanently stored within the application's database or storage mechanisms. When legitimate users subsequently access the affected web interface and view the compromised content, their browsers execute the embedded malicious scripts without proper sanitization or validation. This type of attack vector is particularly dangerous because the malicious code persists even after the initial injection, making it capable of affecting multiple users over extended periods.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities within the context of the victim's session. Attackers could potentially steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of legitimate users, redirect users to malicious websites, or extract sensitive information from the ISE portal. Given that ISE systems typically manage network access control and identity management functions, successful exploitation could compromise entire network security infrastructures. The unauthenticated nature of the attack means that no prior credentials are required to initiate the exploit, making it particularly attractive to threat actors seeking to gain unauthorized access to enterprise networks.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through official Cisco patches and updates, as recommended in the advisory CSCvd87482. The mitigation strategy should include implementing proper input validation controls, deploying web application firewalls, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of the affected systems. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be enhanced to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing user education programs to recognize potential XSS attack indicators and establish incident response procedures specifically tailored to address such web-based vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under the T1059.001 technique for Command and Scripting Interpreter, highlighting the potential for attackers to leverage stored XSS for persistent access and privilege escalation within compromised environments.