CVE-2018-9101 in MiVoice Connect
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the conferencing component of Mitel MiVoice Connect, versions R1707-PREM SP1 (21.84.5535.0) and earlier, and Mitel ST 14.2, versions GA27 (19.49.5200.0) and earlier, could allow an unauthenticated attacker to conduct a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) attack due to insufficient validation for the launch_presenter.php page. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary scripts.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-9101 affects the conferencing component of Mitel MiVoice Connect and Mitel ST systems, specifically targeting versions prior to R1707-PREM SP1 (21.84.5535.0) and ST 14.2 GA27 (19.49.5200.0). This flaw resides within the launch_presenter.php page which fails to adequately validate user input parameters, creating a pathway for reflected cross-site scripting attacks. The vulnerability represents a critical security weakness that undermines the integrity of the web-based conferencing interface and exposes organizations to potential malicious activities through web-based attack vectors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the web application layer of the conferencing system. When the launch_presenter.php page processes user-supplied parameters, it fails to properly sanitize or validate the input data before incorporating it into the web response. This inadequate validation allows malicious actors to inject crafted payloads through URL parameters that are then reflected back to the user's browser. The reflected nature of this XSS vulnerability means that the malicious script is executed in the victim's browser context when they click on a malicious link or visit a compromised page, making it particularly dangerous for web-based conferencing environments where users frequently interact with external links.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform a range of malicious activities within the victim's browser session. An attacker could potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, deface the conferencing interface, or even execute more sophisticated attacks such as credential theft or privilege escalation within the application context. Given that this affects conferencing systems, the potential for disrupting business communications and accessing sensitive meeting data makes this vulnerability particularly concerning for enterprises relying on these platforms for critical business operations. The unauthenticated nature of the attack means that no prior access or credentials are required to exploit the vulnerability, making it accessible to any attacker with knowledge of the target system.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including input validation and output encoding for all parameters processed by the launch_presenter.php page. The recommended approach involves implementing strict parameter validation that rejects or sanitizes any input containing potentially dangerous characters or script tags. Additionally, implementing proper HTTP headers such as Content Security Policy (CSP) can provide additional protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious input patterns targeting known XSS vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and follows attack patterns documented in the ATT&CK framework under the web application attack category, specifically targeting the execution of malicious code through reflected parameters in web interfaces. The remediation process should include immediate patching of affected systems to the latest supported versions and comprehensive security testing to ensure that similar validation gaps do not exist in other components of the conferencing platform.