CVE-2019-15963 in Unified Communications Manager
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Unified Communications Manager could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to view sensitive information in the web-based management interface of the affected software. The vulnerability is due to insufficient protection of user-supplied input by the web-based management interface of the affected service. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by accessing the interface and viewing restricted portions of the software configuration. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to gain access to sensitive information or conduct further attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/23/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-15963 represents a critical security flaw within Cisco Unified Communications Manager's web-based management interface, specifically targeting the application's insufficient input validation mechanisms. This weakness stems from inadequate protection measures that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data, creating an exploitable condition that allows authenticated remote attackers to access restricted system information. The vulnerability exists within the software's web interface components, which are designed to manage and configure the unified communications platform, making it a prime target for malicious actors seeking to escalate their privileges or gather sensitive operational data. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture where input validation controls are insufficient to prevent unauthorized access to protected resources.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on the attacker's ability to authenticate to the web-based management interface, which then provides a pathway to bypass intended access controls. The insufficient input protection mechanism allows the attacker to manipulate interface parameters or input fields in ways that should normally be restricted, potentially revealing configuration details, user credentials, system settings, or other sensitive information that should remain inaccessible to unauthorized users. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of insufficient input validation as defined by CWE-20, which encompasses weaknesses where applications fail to properly validate or sanitize input data, leading to various security consequences including information disclosure and privilege escalation. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires only authentication, making it accessible to both internal and external threat actors who can obtain valid credentials through various means.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the exposed sensitive data could provide attackers with critical insights into the organization's communication infrastructure. Access to system configuration details, user account information, or network settings could enable more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation, lateral movement within the network, or targeted attacks against other systems that rely on the unified communications platform. The vulnerability creates a persistent security risk that could be exploited repeatedly by attackers who maintain access to the system, potentially leading to complete compromise of the communication infrastructure. Organizations using affected Cisco Unified Communications Manager versions face significant exposure risks, particularly in environments where the web interface is accessible from untrusted networks or where authentication credentials may be compromised through credential stuffing, phishing, or other attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-15963 should prioritize immediate remediation through official Cisco security patches and updates, which address the underlying input validation deficiencies in the web-based management interface. Organizations must ensure that all affected systems receive timely updates and that proper access controls are implemented to limit exposure of the web interface to trusted networks only. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to restrict access to the management interface to authorized personnel only, while implementing strong authentication mechanisms including multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of credential compromise. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious access patterns or attempts to exploit the vulnerability, and regular security assessments should be conducted to verify that proper input validation controls are in place. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following security best practices such as implementing principle of least privilege, conducting regular security audits, and maintaining up-to-date security configurations as recommended by cybersecurity frameworks including the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO 27001 standards. This type of vulnerability demonstrates the critical need for continuous security testing and validation of input handling mechanisms within web applications to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive system information.