CVE-2018-15434 in Unified IP Phone
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Unified IP Phone 7900 Series 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 malicious link. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary script code in the context of the affected interface or access sensitive, browser-based information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-15434 affects the web-based management interface of Cisco Unified IP Phone 7900 Series devices, representing a critical security flaw that enables unauthenticated remote attackers to execute cross-site scripting attacks. This vulnerability resides within the device's web interface implementation where insufficient input validation mechanisms fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing. The affected telephony infrastructure devices operate within enterprise networks where they serve as critical communication endpoints, making them attractive targets for malicious actors seeking to compromise network security through web interface exploitation.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate validation of user-supplied input within the web-based management interface of these IP phones, creating a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability that aligns with CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation. The vulnerability occurs when the interface fails to properly sanitize or escape user-provided data before rendering it in web pages, allowing malicious payloads to be executed within the context of the authenticated user's browser session. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious links that, when clicked by an authenticated user, would execute arbitrary script code in the victim's browser environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to access sensitive browser-based information and potentially escalate privileges within the device's management interface. The attack vector requires social engineering to persuade users to click malicious links, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may trust internal management interfaces. This vulnerability represents a significant risk to enterprise communication security since it allows attackers to manipulate the web interface of IP phones, potentially compromising call routing, device configuration, or accessing sensitive communication data. The attack requires no authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited remotely without prior access to the network.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-15434 should include immediate deployment of Cisco's official security patches and updates, which address the input validation deficiencies in the web interface. Network administrators should implement network segmentation to isolate telephony infrastructure from general network traffic, reducing the attack surface for remote exploitation attempts. Additional defensive measures include implementing web application firewalls to filter malicious requests and monitoring network traffic for suspicious activity related to the affected devices. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript indicates that attackers could leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious JavaScript code, potentially leading to further exploitation of the device or network. Organizations should also consider disabling unnecessary web interfaces on IP phones when not required for management purposes, as this reduces the potential attack surface and mitigates the risk of exploitation through this specific vulnerability.