CVE-2018-0380 in WebEx Network Recording Player
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple vulnerabilities exist in the Cisco Webex Network Recording Player for Advanced Recording Format (ARF) and Webex Recording Format (WRF) files. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by providing a user with a malicious .arf or .wrf file via email or URL and convincing the user to launch the file in the Webex recording players. Exploitation of these vulnerabilities could cause an affected player to crash, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The Cisco Webex players are applications that are used to play back Webex meetings that have been recorded by an online meeting attendee. The Webex Network Recording Player for .arf files can be automatically installed when the user accesses a recording that is hosted on a Webex server. The Webex Player for .wrf files can be downloaded manually. These vulnerabilities affect ARF and WRF recording players available from Cisco Webex Meetings Suite sites, Cisco Webex Meetings Online sites, and Cisco Webex Meetings Server. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvh70253, CSCvh70268, CSCvh72272, CSCvh72281, CSCvh72285, CSCvi60477, CSCvi60485, CSCvi60490, CSCvi60520, CSCvi60529, CSCvi60533.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/18/2023
The Cisco Webex Network Recording Player vulnerabilities identified as CVE-2018-0380 represent critical security flaws affecting the Advanced Recording Format and Webex Recording Format file playback systems. These vulnerabilities exist within the Webex Meetings Suite applications that handle playback of recorded online meetings, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors targeting end-user systems. The affected components include both the Webex Network Recording Player for .arf files which automatically installs when accessing recordings from Webex servers, and the Webex Player for .wrf files that require manual download. The vulnerabilities stem from improper input validation and memory handling within the parsing mechanisms of these recording formats, creating opportunities for arbitrary code execution or system instability when processing malformed files.
The technical exploitation of these vulnerabilities occurs through social engineering attacks where attackers craft malicious .arf or .wrf files designed to trigger buffer overflows, integer overflows, or memory corruption conditions within the affected players. When a user opens these crafted files using the vulnerable Webex players, the applications fail to properly validate file structures, leading to memory corruption that results in application crashes and potential system instability. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and CWE-125, out-of-bounds read, as the applications do not adequately validate input data before processing. The exploitation vector leverages the trust model inherent in user interaction with meeting recordings, where users typically expect to safely open and play back recorded meetings without considering potential security risks.
The operational impact of these vulnerabilities extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as they create opportunities for more sophisticated attacks within enterprise environments where Webex is widely deployed. Organizations using Cisco Webex Meetings Suite across their networks face potential risks including unauthorized disruption of business meetings, service availability issues, and possible escalation to more serious security incidents. The vulnerabilities affect multiple Cisco Webex platforms including the Webex Meetings Suite sites, Webex Meetings Online sites, and Webex Meetings Server installations, indicating a widespread exposure across different deployment models. Attackers could potentially use these vulnerabilities as initial access points for broader network infiltration, particularly in environments where users have elevated privileges or where the applications are used for sensitive business communications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-0380 should focus on immediate patch management and user education initiatives. Cisco has released security updates addressing these vulnerabilities, and organizations must prioritize deployment of the latest Webex player versions to remediate the identified issues. Network administrators should implement email filtering rules to block .arf and .wrf file attachments from untrusted sources and consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of potentially malicious files. The ATT&CK framework categorizes these vulnerabilities under T1203, Exploitation for Client Execution, highlighting the social engineering aspects of exploitation. Additionally, organizations should conduct security awareness training to educate users about the risks of opening unknown meeting recording files and establish procedures for verifying the legitimacy of meeting recordings before playback. Regular security assessments of Webex deployments should be performed to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other components of the Cisco Webex ecosystem.