CVE-2019-1680 in Webex Business Suite
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in Cisco Webex Business Suite could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to inject arbitrary text into a user's browser. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by convincing a targeted user to view a malicious URL. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to inject arbitrary text into the user's browser. The attacker could use the content injection to conduct spoofing attacks. Versions prior than 3.0.9 are affected.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-1680 resides within Cisco Webex Business Suite, a comprehensive communication and collaboration platform widely utilized by enterprises for video conferencing, messaging, and web collaboration services. This security flaw represents a critical input validation weakness that fundamentally compromises the integrity of user sessions and browser environments. The vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input within the application's processing pipeline, creating an avenue for malicious actors to manipulate the platform's behavior through carefully crafted web requests. The affected versions prior to 3.0.9 demonstrate a failure in implementing proper content security measures that would normally prevent unauthorized text injection into browser contexts. This weakness specifically impacts the platform's handling of URLs and user interactions, where the system fails to adequately validate or sanitize input parameters before processing them within the user's browser environment.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a sophisticated social engineering attack vector where an attacker crafts a malicious URL designed to trigger the input validation flaw. When a targeted user clicks on this crafted link, the system processes the malicious input without proper sanitization, allowing arbitrary text injection into the user's browser session. This text injection capability enables attackers to manipulate the displayed content within the user's browser window, potentially overlaying malicious content or altering the appearance of legitimate interface elements. The vulnerability operates at the application layer, specifically targeting the web application's user interface rendering mechanisms and demonstrates a clear failure in implementing proper input validation techniques. The flaw aligns with CWE-79, which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, and represents a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability variant that leverages the platform's trust in user-provided content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple content manipulation, creating significant risks for enterprise security and user privacy. Attackers can leverage the text injection capability to conduct sophisticated spoofing attacks, potentially impersonating legitimate platform interfaces or displaying fraudulent content that could deceive users into revealing sensitive information or performing unauthorized actions. The unauthenticated nature of the attack means that no prior credentials or access privileges are required to exploit the vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may have varying levels of security awareness. Organizations utilizing affected Webex Business Suite versions face potential data compromise, reputation damage, and increased risk of credential theft through phishing attempts that exploit the injected content. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent malicious presence within user sessions, potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks such as session hijacking or privilege escalation within the platform's ecosystem. This weakness can be particularly damaging when combined with other vulnerabilities in the platform, as it provides attackers with a foothold for further exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-1680 must prioritize immediate software updates to versions 3.0.9 or later, which contain the necessary input validation fixes and security patches. Organizations should implement comprehensive network monitoring to detect suspicious URL patterns and user behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The security community should consider this vulnerability in relation to ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers spearphishing with malicious attachments or links, and T1531, which addresses credential access through spoofing attacks. Additional defensive measures include implementing web application firewalls to filter malicious content, conducting regular security assessments of web applications, and establishing user awareness training programs to recognize potential phishing attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies and strict input validation controls at multiple layers of their network infrastructure to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in other applications. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper input validation and the potential consequences of failing to implement robust security controls in web-based collaboration platforms.