CVE-2019-1930 in FirePOWER Management Center
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple vulnerabilities in the RSS dashboard in the web-based management interface of Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) 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 device. The vulnerabilities are due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input by the web-based management interface of the affected device. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by persuading a user of the interface 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 • 11/26/2024
The CVE-2019-1930 vulnerability affects the Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) web-based management interface, specifically targeting the RSS dashboard component. This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that enables unauthenticated remote attackers to execute cross-site scripting attacks against users interacting with the management interface. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the web application's RSS dashboard functionality, creating a pathway for malicious code injection that can compromise user sessions and access sensitive information.
The technical flaw manifests through insufficient validation of user-supplied input within the RSS dashboard component of the FMC interface. This weakness allows attackers to craft malicious URLs containing XSS payloads that, when clicked by an authenticated user, execute within the victim's browser context. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the web interface's handling of RSS feed data, where user-provided content is not properly sanitized before being rendered in the browser. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as "Cross-site Scripting" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for "Phishing with Social Engineering" and T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript."
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of the web interface, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or privilege escalation. An attacker could craft malicious links that, when clicked by a user, would execute scripts that could steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or extract sensitive information from the browser. The vulnerability's exploitation requires social engineering to convince users to click malicious links, but once executed, it provides persistent access to the targeted interface and its underlying systems. This creates a persistent threat vector that could be leveraged for extended reconnaissance and lateral movement within the network.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Cisco, which address the input validation deficiencies in the RSS dashboard component. Network administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls to filter malicious payloads and monitor for suspicious activity in the management interface. Additional defensive measures include restricting access to the FMC interface through network segmentation, implementing strict access controls, and conducting regular security assessments of the web-based management interface. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation and output encoding practices, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security testing of web applications and adherence to secure coding standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST SP 800-53 security controls.