CVE-2022-20872 in FirePOWER Management Center
Summary
by MITRE • 11/16/2022
Multiple vulnerabilities in the web-based management interface of Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to conduct a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the interface of an affected device. These vulnerabilities are due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input by the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by inserting crafted input into various data fields in an affected interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary script code in the context of the interface, or access sensitive, browser-based information. In some cases, it is also possible to cause a temporary availability impact to portions of the FMC Dashboard.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/16/2022
The Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) represents a critical component in enterprise network security infrastructure, serving as the centralized management platform for Cisco Firepower Threat Defense appliances. This web-based management interface provides administrators with comprehensive control over security policies, threat intelligence, and network monitoring capabilities. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-20872 specifically targets the web interface's input validation mechanisms, creating a significant attack surface that could compromise the integrity and confidentiality of security operations. The affected software versions expose organizations to sophisticated attacks that leverage the trust relationship between legitimate users and the management interface, potentially undermining the entire security posture of deployed firewalls.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input validation within the web-based management interface, which fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing or rendering it within the browser context. This vulnerability manifests as stored cross-site scripting conditions where malicious input inserted by an authenticated attacker persists within the application's data stores and subsequently executes when other users access the affected interface components. The insufficient validation occurs across multiple data fields within the management console, making exploitation relatively straightforward for attackers who can authenticate to the system. This weakness directly corresponds to CWE-79, which describes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities resulting from improper input sanitization, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, potentially enabling attackers to access sensitive browser-based information and manipulate the user interface in ways that could disrupt security operations. Successful exploitation allows attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of the interface, which could lead to session hijacking, credential theft, or data exfiltration from the management console. The temporary availability impact on portions of the FMC Dashboard represents a significant concern for operational continuity, as it could prevent authorized administrators from accessing critical security management functions during an attack. Organizations relying on FMC for network security monitoring and policy enforcement face potential exposure to advanced persistent threats that could remain undetected while compromising the management plane.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate software patching to address the input validation deficiencies in affected FMC versions, following Cisco's security advisories and release notes for applicable fixes. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit authentication access to the management interface, reducing the attack surface for potential exploitation. Enhanced monitoring of the management interface for suspicious input patterns and user behavior anomalies can help detect exploitation attempts before they succeed. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls to provide additional protection layers against XSS attacks targeting the management interface. Regular security assessments of web-based management interfaces and comprehensive user access reviews should be conducted to maintain defense-in-depth controls. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper input validation in web applications and demonstrates how seemingly minor security gaps can create significant operational risks for enterprise security infrastructure.