CVE-2020-3192 in Prime Collaboration Provisioning
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the web-based management interface. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input by the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability 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 interface or access sensitive, browser-based information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-3192 resides within the web-based management interface of Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning, a critical component in enterprise communication infrastructure. This system serves as the central management platform for Cisco collaboration solutions including video conferencing, voice systems, and unified communications. The flaw represents a significant security weakness that could compromise the integrity of the entire collaboration ecosystem. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, indicating that the system fails to properly validate or sanitize user input before processing it within the web interface context. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in management interfaces as it provides attackers with potential access to sensitive administrative functions and data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the web application layer of Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning. When user-supplied data is processed through the interface without proper sanitization, malicious payloads can be injected and executed within the browser context of authenticated users. The attack vector requires social engineering to convince a legitimate user to click on a maliciously crafted link, which then executes the XSS payload. This exploitation method aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, specifically the sub-technique T1566.001 for Spearphishing Link, demonstrating how attackers leverage user trust to bypass security controls. The vulnerability manifests when the application fails to properly encode or escape user input before rendering it in web pages, creating opportunities for attackers to inject malicious scripts that can manipulate the browser environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to access sensitive browser-based information and perform actions within the context of the authenticated user session. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain access to session cookies, potentially leading to full administrative control of the Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning interface. This access could allow for configuration changes, data manipulation, or even privilege escalation within the broader collaboration infrastructure. The consequences are particularly severe given that this vulnerability affects a management interface that likely controls critical communication systems, potentially disrupting business operations and compromising sensitive enterprise communications. The vulnerability also poses risks to the broader network as it could serve as a foothold for further attacks, potentially enabling lateral movement within the enterprise network.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-3192 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning systems with the vendor-provided security updates. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to the management interface and deploy web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests. Input validation and output encoding should be strengthened throughout the application code to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring. Security awareness training for administrators is essential to prevent successful social engineering attacks that rely on user interaction with malicious links. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against XSS attacks by restricting script execution within the browser environment. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments of their web applications to identify and remediate similar input validation vulnerabilities. Monitoring for suspicious activities in the management interface logs can help detect potential exploitation attempts, while maintaining up-to-date threat intelligence feeds can provide early warning of emerging attack patterns targeting this specific vulnerability class.