CVE-2018-15406 in UCS Director
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco UCS Director could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the web-based management interface of an affected system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input by the web-based management interface of an affected system. 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 allow the attacker to access sensitive, browser-based information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-15406 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within Cisco UCS Director's web-based management interface, posing significant security risks to organizations relying on this infrastructure management platform. This vulnerability specifically affects Cisco UCS Director versions 6.7 and earlier, making it particularly concerning given the widespread deployment of this unified computing system director solution across enterprise environments. The flaw resides in the insufficient validation mechanisms implemented within the web interface, which fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before processing and storing it within the system's database or application state.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the web-based management interface's failure to implement adequate input validation and output encoding controls. When user-supplied data is accepted through various interface elements such as forms, parameters, or API endpoints, the system does not sufficiently filter or escape special characters that could be interpreted as executable script code. This insufficient validation creates a persistent XSS vector where malicious input can be stored within the application's database and subsequently executed whenever the affected page is loaded or accessed by a victim user. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload remains active until manually removed from the system, allowing for prolonged exploitation windows.
Operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform a range of malicious activities that can severely compromise system integrity and data confidentiality. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability can execute arbitrary code within the context of the web interface, potentially allowing them to escalate privileges, access sensitive browser-based information, or manipulate user sessions. The unauthenticated nature of the attack means that no prior credentials are required to exploit the vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by any remote attacker without requiring system access. Additionally, the ability to access sensitive browser-based information opens possibilities for credential theft, session hijacking, or data exfiltration that could compromise the entire infrastructure management environment.
Organizations utilizing Cisco UCS Director systems should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability, including applying the official Cisco security patches released for this flaw. The 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 Command and Scripting Interpreter, as well as T1566 for Phishing, since attackers can leverage social engineering to convince users to click malicious links. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, while user education regarding suspicious links and unusual system behavior remains crucial. Regular security assessments of web interfaces and input validation mechanisms should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other system components. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive security monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts.