CVE-2021-1310 in Webex Meetings
Summary
by MITRE • 01/14/2021
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Webex Meetings could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to redirect a user to an untrusted web page, bypassing the warning mechanism that should prompt the user before the redirection. This vulnerability is due to improper input validation of the URL parameters in an HTTP request. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user to click a crafted link. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to redirect a user to a malicious website, bypassing the Webex URL check that should result in a warning before the redirection to the web page. Attackers may use this type of vulnerability, known as an open redirect attack, as part of a phishing attack to convince users to unknowingly visit malicious sites.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-1310 represents a critical security flaw within Cisco Webex Meetings' web-based management interface that exposes users to sophisticated social engineering attacks. This weakness stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize URL parameters within HTTP requests, creating an exploitable condition that undermines the security posture of the platform. The vulnerability specifically affects the authentication bypass mechanisms that should normally prevent users from being redirected to untrusted domains without proper warning prompts, effectively allowing attackers to circumvent built-in security controls designed to protect end users from potentially malicious redirections.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability falls under CWE-601, which specifically addresses open redirect vulnerabilities where applications redirect users to external domains without proper validation. This flaw operates at the application layer of the network stack, specifically within the web interface's handling of user input parameters that control navigation behavior. When an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing specially formatted parameters, the system fails to validate the destination domain against a whitelist or proper security checks, allowing the redirection to proceed without user awareness or consent. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental failure in input sanitization and validation practices that should be implemented at the point of request processing.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations relying on Cisco Webex Meetings for their communication infrastructure, as it enables attackers to conduct sophisticated phishing campaigns that appear legitimate to users. The attack vector typically involves social engineering tactics where users are tricked into clicking seemingly benign links that ultimately redirect them to malicious sites designed to harvest credentials, install malware, or conduct further reconnaissance. The impact extends beyond simple credential theft, as successful exploitation can lead to complete compromise of user sessions, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within organizational networks. This vulnerability particularly threatens enterprise environments where Webex Meetings are widely used for business communications, as attackers can leverage the trusted nature of the platform to increase the success rate of their phishing attempts.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network-level controls to block access to known malicious domains, deployment of web application firewalls that can detect and prevent open redirect patterns, and comprehensive user awareness training to recognize suspicious links and redirection attempts. The mitigation strategies should also encompass regular security assessments of web applications, implementation of proper input validation frameworks, and consideration of the ATT&CK framework's T1566 technique for phishing attacks, which encompasses the specific tactics used to exploit such vulnerabilities. Additionally, organizations should establish monitoring procedures to detect unusual redirection patterns and implement proper security patches from Cisco as they become available to address the root cause of the vulnerability.