CVE-2018-0367 in Registered Envelope Service
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of the Cisco Registered Envelope Service could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the web-based management interface of the affected service. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input that is processed by the web-based management interface of the affected service. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user of the interface to click a malicious link. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary script code in the context of the interface or access sensitive browser-based information. Cisco Bug IDs: CVE-2018-0367.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/15/2020
The vulnerability described in CVE-2018-0367 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Cisco's Registered Envelope Service web-based management interface. This issue stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing within the web application environment. The vulnerability specifically affects the web-based management interface of the Cisco Registered Envelope Service, which serves as a critical component for managing secure email communications and document handling within enterprise environments. The flaw allows for authenticated remote exploitation, meaning that an attacker must first establish valid credentials to access the management interface, but once authenticated, they can leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious code against other users of the same interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through social engineering techniques where an attacker crafts malicious links designed to exploit the insufficient input validation. When a legitimate user with appropriate privileges clicks on these malicious links, the web application processes the tainted input without proper sanitization, leading to the execution of arbitrary script code within the user's browser context. This cross-site scripting attack enables the attacker to perform actions with the privileges of the authenticated user, potentially accessing sensitive information, modifying data, or redirecting users to malicious sites. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic weakness in web application security where input validation is not properly implemented at the application layer, allowing malicious payloads to be injected and executed in the victim's browser environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can compromise the integrity and confidentiality of the entire management interface. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to access sensitive browser-based information, potentially including session cookies, user credentials, or other confidential data stored within the browser context. The authenticated nature of the attack means that the attacker has already established trust with the system, making the exploitation more effective and harder to detect. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely heavily on Cisco's Registered Envelope Service for secure communications, as successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive email content, document management systems, or other critical business information. The attack vector through malicious links also means that the vulnerability could be exploited through phishing campaigns or compromised internal systems, amplifying its potential impact.
Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability, including immediate patch deployment from Cisco as recommended in their security advisories. The remediation approach should focus on strengthening input validation mechanisms within the web application, implementing proper content sanitization, and enforcing strict output encoding to prevent script injection. Security controls should include web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious payloads, enhanced user education to recognize suspicious links, and regular security assessments of web interfaces. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and it maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting languages. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for management interfaces, network segmentation to limit access to critical systems, and regular security audits to identify similar input validation weaknesses in other applications. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of secure coding practices and input validation in web applications, particularly in management interfaces that handle sensitive organizational data.