CVE-2018-0206 in Unified Communications Manager
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Unified Communications Manager could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the web-based management interface of an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input by the web-based management interface of an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user of the web-based management interface to click a link that submits malicious input to the interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary script code in the context of the interface or allow the attacker to access sensitive browser-based information. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvg74815.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2018-0206 represents a critical reflected cross-site scripting flaw within Cisco Unified Communications Manager's web-based management interface. This security weakness stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing. The vulnerability specifically affects the web interface component of Cisco's unified communications platform, which serves as the primary administrative gateway for managing voice and video communication systems. Attackers can exploit this flaw by crafting malicious URLs that, when clicked by an authenticated user, inject malicious scripts into the web interface. The reflected nature of this XSS vulnerability means that the malicious payload is reflected off the web server and executed in the victim's browser context, making it particularly dangerous for administrative interfaces where users have elevated privileges.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a malicious URL containing crafted input that gets reflected back through the web interface without proper sanitization. When a user with administrative privileges clicks such a link, the malicious script executes within the context of their browser session, potentially allowing the attacker to perform actions as that user. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution, as it could enable attackers to access sensitive browser-based information, steal session cookies, or even perform unauthorized administrative actions within the communications platform. This type of attack leverages the trust relationship between the user and the web interface, making it particularly effective in environments where administrators frequently interact with web-based management tools.
The operational implications of this vulnerability are severe for organizations relying on Cisco Unified Communications Manager for their voice and video infrastructure. Administrative users who access the web interface regularly become potential targets for this attack vector, creating a significant risk to the overall security posture of communication systems. The vulnerability's unauthenticated nature means that attackers do not require prior credentials to initiate the attack, making it accessible to any user who might be tricked into clicking a malicious link. Organizations with extensive deployment of Cisco Unified Communications Manager across their network infrastructure face substantial risk, particularly in environments where administrative interfaces are accessible from external networks or where users may encounter phishing attempts that exploit this vulnerability.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script-based execution. The flaw represents a classic input validation weakness where user-supplied data flows directly into the web interface without proper sanitization or encoding. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation mechanisms that properly encode and sanitize all user-supplied data before processing. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of the web interface to untrusted networks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other components of the communications infrastructure. Cisco released patches and updates addressing this vulnerability through CSCvg74815, which organizations should deploy immediately to mitigate the risk of exploitation.