CVE-2018-15463 in Identity Services Engine
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the web-based interface. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of some parameters passed to the web-based management interface of an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by convincing a user of the interface to click a specific link. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary script code in the context of the web-based management interface or allow the attacker to access sensitive browser-based information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/01/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-15463 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Cisco Identity Services Engine's web-based management interface. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically manifesting as a reflected XSS attack vector that operates without requiring authentication from the attacker. The Cisco Identity Services Engine serves as a critical network access control solution that manages authentication, authorization, and accounting services for enterprise networks, making this vulnerability particularly concerning from a security perspective. The flaw exists in the web interface's insufficient validation of user-supplied input parameters, creating an attack surface where malicious data can be injected and executed within the context of legitimate user sessions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a malicious link that, when clicked by an authenticated user of the ISE management interface, would execute arbitrary script code within the user's browser context. This reflected XSS occurs because the web application fails to properly sanitize or validate input parameters before incorporating them into dynamic web content. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution as it could potentially allow attackers to access sensitive browser-based information, manipulate session tokens, or perform actions on behalf of the authenticated user. The attack vector relies on social engineering to convince victims to click malicious links, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently interact with web-based management interfaces.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses significant risks to enterprise network security infrastructure since the Cisco ISE is typically deployed in critical network access control roles. The unauthenticated nature of the attack means that even without valid credentials, an attacker can potentially compromise the management interface and gain unauthorized access to network access control policies, user authentication data, and sensitive configuration information. The reflected nature of the XSS means that the malicious payload is not stored on the server but rather reflected back to the user's browser from the web application's response, making it difficult to detect through traditional server-side logging mechanisms. This vulnerability could enable attackers to escalate privileges, modify network access policies, or even redirect users to malicious sites that could further compromise the network environment.
Security practitioners should implement multiple layers of mitigation for this vulnerability, beginning with immediate patching of affected Cisco ISE devices to the latest firmware versions that address the input validation flaws. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of the web-based management interface to only authorized personnel and systems. Web Application Firewalls can be deployed to detect and block malicious XSS payloads attempting to exploit this vulnerability. Additionally, security awareness training for network administrators should emphasize the dangers of clicking untrusted links and the importance of verifying the legitimacy of any suspicious web content. Organizations should also implement monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous behavior patterns in the ISE management interface, particularly around parameter handling and user session management. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.007 for Scripting and T1566 for Phishing, highlighting the social engineering aspects of exploitation and the need for comprehensive defensive measures across multiple attack vectors.