CVE-2022-20932 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 vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-20932 represents a critical security flaw in Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) Software that exposes the web-based management interface to stored cross-site scripting attacks. This vulnerability specifically affects the authentication and input validation mechanisms within the FMC's web interface, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors who have gained access to the system. The issue stems from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied input, which allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist within the application's data storage and execute when other users interact with the affected interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the insertion of crafted malicious input into various data fields within the FMC web interface. This stored XSS attack vector enables attackers to execute arbitrary script code within the browser context of authenticated users who interact with the affected interface. The vulnerability manifests due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input, which violates fundamental security principles for web application development. According to CWE-79, this represents a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability where the application fails to properly validate or escape user-controllable data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-20932 extends beyond simple script execution capabilities, as it provides attackers with the potential to access sensitive browser-based information and perform actions that could compromise the integrity of the management interface. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or extract sensitive data from the browser's memory. The temporary availability impact on portions of the FMC Dashboard further compounds the operational risk, potentially disrupting critical network security management functions and compromising the overall security posture of the organization's firewall infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web interface. Organizations should ensure that all user-supplied data undergoes strict sanitization before being processed or stored within the system, following established security frameworks such as the OWASP Input Validation Cheat Sheet and the ATT&CK framework's T1059.1.001 technique for command and scripting interpreter. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and monitoring mechanisms can help detect and prevent unauthorized exploitation attempts. Regular security updates and patches from Cisco should be applied immediately upon release, as this vulnerability affects the core management interface functionality that organizations rely upon for critical network security operations. The remediation process should also include comprehensive testing of the web interface to ensure that all data fields properly validate input and prevent malicious script injection attempts.