CVE-2020-3313 in FirePOWER Management Center
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web UI of Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the web-based management interface of the FMC Software. 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 to access sensitive, browser-based information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/15/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-3313 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the web-based management interface of Cisco Firepower Management Center software. This weakness exists in the web UI component that handles user input validation, creating an attack vector that can be exploited by unauthenticated remote adversaries. The vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of input parameters that are processed by the FMC's web interface, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into the application's response. The flaw specifically affects the FMC software's ability to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it within the web interface, which creates a persistent security gap that can be leveraged by threat actors.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal prerequisites as attackers do not need authentication credentials to initiate the attack. The attack vector typically involves crafting malicious links that, when clicked by an authenticated user within the FMC web interface, execute malicious JavaScript code in the victim's browser context. This technique relies on social engineering to convince users to interact with the malicious payload, making the attack particularly dangerous as it can bypass traditional network security controls. The successful exploitation enables attackers to execute arbitrary code within the user's browser session, potentially allowing them to access sensitive information, hijack user sessions, or perform actions on behalf of the authenticated user. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-3313 extends beyond simple script execution as it can lead to complete session hijacking and privilege escalation within the FMC management environment. Attackers could potentially access sensitive configuration data, view network traffic analysis, manipulate security policies, or even gain access to underlying network devices managed by the FMC system. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the management interface, potentially compromising the entire security infrastructure that relies on the FMC for network protection. Organizations using Cisco Firepower Management Center software face significant risk as this vulnerability can be exploited without requiring any specialized tools or advanced technical knowledge, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where multiple users interact with the management interface.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the affected FMC software versions, as Cisco has released security updates to address the XSS flaw. Network administrators should implement additional layers of protection including web application firewalls, input validation rules, and strict content security policies to prevent exploitation attempts. The implementation of proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms within the web application framework can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments of their web-based management interfaces and implement monitoring solutions to detect suspicious activities that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers can leverage the XSS vulnerability to execute malicious scripts within the browser context of authenticated users. Regular security awareness training for administrators and users can help prevent successful social engineering attacks that rely on user interaction with malicious links, while network segmentation and access controls can limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts.