CVE-2018-0458 in Prime Collaboration Assurance
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Prime Collaboration Assurance could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a 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. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user of the interface to click a customized 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0458 resides within the web-based management interface of Cisco Prime Collaboration Assurance, a critical component in enterprise communication infrastructure. This system serves as the central management platform for Cisco collaboration solutions, making it a prime target for cyber adversaries seeking to compromise enterprise communication networks. The flaw represents a significant security weakness that undermines the integrity of the management interface, potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive network information and operational controls.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the web interface's processing logic. Specifically, the web-based management interface fails to properly sanitize and validate user-supplied data inputs before rendering them in the browser context. This insufficient validation creates an exploitable condition where maliciously crafted input can be executed as script code within the victim's browser session. The vulnerability manifests as a classic cross-site scripting flaw, which operates by injecting malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, thereby enabling unauthorized code execution in the context of the affected interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to access sensitive browser-based information and potentially escalate privileges within the management interface. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to configuration data, user credentials, and other sensitive information stored within the browser session. The unauthenticated nature of the attack means that no prior credentials are required to initiate the exploit, making it particularly dangerous as it can be launched against any user who interacts with the maliciously crafted link. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and undermines the security boundaries of the management interface.
The exploitation mechanism relies on social engineering techniques where attackers craft malicious links designed to trick users into clicking them, often through phishing campaigns or compromised communication channels. When a victim clicks the malicious link, the browser executes the injected script code within the context of the authenticated session, potentially enabling the attacker to perform actions as if they were the legitimate user. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a critical weakness in the web application's security architecture that allows for unauthorized code execution in user sessions.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate the affected management interface, deployment of web application firewalls to filter malicious traffic, and comprehensive user education programs to prevent social engineering attacks. The implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web application framework provides fundamental protection against similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in the network infrastructure. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059 technique for command and control through scripting, emphasizing the need for robust application-level defenses to prevent unauthorized code execution in user contexts.