CVE-2019-15994 in Stealthwatch Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Stealthwatch Enterprise 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 system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input by the web-based management interface of the affected software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user to click a crafted 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 • 02/28/2024
This vulnerability resides within the web-based management interface of Cisco Stealthwatch Enterprise, a network security monitoring solution designed to detect and respond to network threats. The flaw represents a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability that undermines the security model of the application's user authentication and input handling mechanisms. The vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of user-supplied input, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into the application's interface. This weakness is particularly dangerous because it operates without requiring any authentication credentials, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can influence user behavior through social engineering tactics. The vulnerability affects the web-based management interface specifically, which serves as the primary administrative access point for configuring and managing the security monitoring capabilities of the Stealthwatch system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows the standard XSS attack pattern where insufficient input validation allows malicious payloads to be executed within the context of legitimate user sessions. The affected system fails to properly sanitize or encode user-supplied data before rendering it in the web interface, creating an environment where attacker-controlled content can be interpreted as executable code by web browsers. This occurs because the web interface does not implement proper input sanitization or output encoding mechanisms that would prevent malicious scripts from being executed when users interact with the compromised interface. The vulnerability specifically affects the web-based management interface, which typically handles configuration data, monitoring parameters, and user management functions, making it a critical attack surface for unauthorized access and potential privilege escalation. The attack vector relies on social engineering to trick users into clicking malicious links, but once executed, the script operates within the security context of the authenticated user session, potentially allowing full access to the management interface functionality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to access sensitive browser-based information and potentially escalate privileges within the application's security model. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to perform actions that require administrative privileges, such as modifying security policies, accessing monitoring data, or even compromising the underlying network infrastructure that Stealthwatch is designed to protect. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit it without physical access to the network, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on web-based management interfaces for critical security operations. The lack of authentication requirements for exploitation means that even organizations with robust network security measures could be compromised if a single user clicks on a malicious link, as the attack would operate within the security context of that user's session. This creates a significant risk for organizations that depend on Stealthwatch for network monitoring, as an attacker could potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive network traffic data and security configuration information.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the web-based management interface. Organizations should ensure that all user-supplied input is properly sanitized and that output encoding is applied to prevent script execution in browser contexts. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be executed. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while regular security assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other web applications. Organizations should also implement user education programs to reduce the risk of successful social engineering attacks that could lead to exploitation of this vulnerability. The remediation process should include updating to patched versions of Cisco Stealthwatch Enterprise software, which would contain the necessary input validation and output encoding fixes to prevent this type of cross-site scripting attack from succeeding. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious traffic patterns can provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a common attack pattern that maps to several ATT&CK techniques including initial access through malicious links and privilege escalation through session manipulation.