CVE-2020-3406 in SD-WAN vManage
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of the Cisco SD-WAN vManage Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the interface. The vulnerability exists because the web-based management interface does not properly validate user-supplied input. 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 interface or access sensitive, browser-based information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/04/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-3406 affects the web-based management interface of Cisco SD-WAN vManage Software, representing a critical security flaw that enables authenticated remote attackers to execute cross-site scripting attacks. This vulnerability resides within the software's user interface validation mechanisms, specifically failing to properly sanitize user-supplied input before processing. The affected system operates within enterprise networking environments where vManage serves as the central management platform for software-defined wide area networks, making it a prime target for sophisticated cyber threats.
The technical flaw manifests through insufficient input validation within the web interface components of the vManage software, creating an XSS vulnerability that aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting weaknesses in web applications. The vulnerability requires an authenticated session to exploit, meaning attackers must first obtain valid credentials to the management interface, but once achieved, they can craft malicious links that, when clicked by a victim user, execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the victim's browser context. This flaw operates through the standard XSS attack vector where malicious input is not properly escaped or validated before being rendered back to the user interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it allows attackers to access sensitive browser-based information and potentially escalate privileges within the management interface. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, access administrative functions, or redirect users to malicious sites that can further compromise the network infrastructure. The attack vector requires social engineering to convince users to click malicious links, but once successful, it provides attackers with persistent access to the vManage interface and its associated network management capabilities. This represents a significant risk to enterprise network security since vManage interfaces often contain sensitive configuration data and administrative controls.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-3406 should include immediate implementation of Cisco's security patches and updates, along with network segmentation to limit access to the vManage interface to trusted administrative networks only. Organizations should enforce strict access controls and implement multi-factor authentication for all administrative accounts. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious user behavior patterns, particularly unusual navigation or data access patterns within the vManage interface. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding practices, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting and T1566 for social engineering, which emphasize the need for robust web application security controls and user awareness training to prevent exploitation of such vulnerabilities.