CVE-2018-9104 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 api.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-2018-9104 resides within the conferencing component of Mitel MiVoice Connect and Mitel ST systems, representing a critical security flaw that affects specific software versions. This issue manifests as a reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability that operates through the api.php page, creating an attack vector that requires no authentication credentials from the adversary. The vulnerability impacts both Mitel MiVoice Connect R1707-PREM SP1 (21.84.5535.0) and earlier versions, as well as Mitel ST 14.2 GA27 (19.49.5200.0) and earlier releases, indicating a widespread exposure across these telephony platforms. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing, allowing malicious payloads to be reflected back to users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows the standard reflected XSS attack pattern where an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing script code that gets executed when a victim clicks the link or visits the page. The api.php page serves as the primary entry point for the attack, where user input parameters are not sufficiently validated or sanitized before being returned to the client. This insufficient validation creates a scenario where an attacker can inject malicious JavaScript code that executes in the context of the victim's browser session. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a direct violation of secure coding practices that mandate input sanitization and output encoding. The reflected nature of this attack means that the malicious script is not stored on the server but rather reflected off the web application in response to a request, making it particularly dangerous as it can be delivered through various vectors including email, instant messaging, or web pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even inject malware into the victim's browser environment. The unauthenticated nature of the attack means that any user interacting with the vulnerable system could potentially become compromised without any prior authorization or credentials. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on Mitel's conferencing infrastructure for business communications, as it could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive meeting data, intercept communications, or manipulate conference settings. The implications are especially severe in enterprise environments where these systems handle confidential business information, customer data, and internal communications that could be exploited for financial gain or competitive advantage.
Organizations affected by CVE-2018-9104 should implement immediate mitigation strategies to protect their systems from exploitation. The primary recommendation involves applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates that address the input validation deficiencies in the api.php page. Additionally, network-level protections such as web application firewalls should be deployed to filter malicious requests before they reach the vulnerable application. Input validation should be strengthened through comprehensive sanitization of all user-supplied parameters, and output encoding should be implemented to prevent script injection regardless of input validation failures. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual traffic patterns or suspicious requests that might indicate attempted exploitation. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting languages, specifically targeting web shells and client-side script execution, making it crucial for organizations to maintain robust security monitoring and incident response capabilities to detect and respond to such attacks effectively.