CVE-2018-0364 in Unified Communications Domain Manager
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Unified Communications Domain Manager could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attack and perform arbitrary actions on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient CSRF protections for the web-based management interface of an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user of the interface to follow a crafted link. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to perform arbitrary actions on a targeted device via a web browser and with the privileges of the user. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvi44320.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/28/2023
The vulnerability described in CVE-2018-0364 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within Cisco Unified Communications Domain Manager's web-based management interface. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications. The flaw stems from inadequate protection mechanisms that fail to validate the origin of requests made through the web interface, creating an exploitable gap in the security architecture of the affected telecommunications management platform.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to craft malicious links that, when clicked by an authenticated user, execute unauthorized actions within the target system. The attack vector relies on social engineering techniques where users are tricked into following crafted links that contain malicious requests to the vulnerable management interface. This particular weakness enables attackers to perform arbitrary actions with the privileges of the compromised user, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability specifically affects the web-based management interface of Cisco Unified Communications Domain Manager, which serves as a central point for managing telecommunications infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with the capability to manipulate critical telecommunications infrastructure remotely. An attacker could potentially modify system configurations, access sensitive data, or even disrupt communication services by leveraging this CSRF vulnerability. The fact that the attack requires no authentication credentials makes it particularly dangerous, as it can be exploited against any user who accesses the management interface. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and availability of the telecommunications domain management system, potentially affecting business continuity and network operations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust CSRF protection mechanisms including the use of anti-CSRF tokens that are generated for each user session and validated on every state-changing request. Organizations should also implement proper input validation and origin checking mechanisms to ensure that requests originate from legitimate sources within the management interface. The Cisco security advisory CSCvi44320 provides specific guidance for patching this vulnerability through firmware updates, and organizations should prioritize applying these patches to prevent exploitation. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of the management interface to trusted networks only, following the principle of least privilege as recommended by cybersecurity frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53.