CVE-2023-20005 in Firepower Management Center
Summary
by MITRE • 11/01/2023
Multiple vulnerabilities in the web-based management interface of Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) Software could allow an unauthenticated, 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 • 11/29/2023
The Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) represents a critical component in enterprise network security infrastructure, providing centralized management for firewalls and security appliances. This vulnerability affects the web-based management interface that administrators use to configure and monitor security policies across their network. The affected software version operates as a web application serving management functions, making it a prime target for web-based attacks. The web interface serves as a gateway for security administrators to perform critical tasks including policy configuration, threat monitoring, and system administration. When an attacker can compromise this interface, they gain access to sensitive network security controls and potentially escalate their attack across the entire network infrastructure.
The technical flaw manifests through insufficient input validation mechanisms within the web interface's data handling processes. This vulnerability specifically constitutes a stored cross-site scripting attack vector where malicious input is first stored on the server and then executed when other users access the affected interface. The vulnerability stems from CWE-79 which defines improper neutralization of input during web page generation, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts into data fields that are subsequently rendered to users. The attack requires no authentication credentials to initiate, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited against any user who accesses the compromised interface. Input fields across various sections of the management interface appear to be susceptible to this flaw, including configuration parameters, user names, and policy settings. The lack of proper sanitization and validation allows attackers to inject malicious javascript code that executes within the browser context of authenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution and can compromise the integrity of the entire security management platform. Successful exploitation enables attackers to access sensitive information stored within the browser session, potentially including session tokens, administrative credentials, and confidential network security data. The temporary availability impact on portions of the FMC Dashboard demonstrates the potential for denial of service conditions that could disrupt security operations. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform session hijacking, escalate privileges, or redirect users to malicious websites. The implications are particularly severe because the FMC interface contains administrative controls that govern network security policies, making this a critical attack surface for adversaries seeking to compromise enterprise security infrastructure. The stored nature of the XSS attack means that the malicious code persists and affects all subsequent users who interact with the compromised interface.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-supplied data fields within the web interface. Organizations should deploy web application firewalls to filter malicious requests before they reach the vulnerable application components. Regular security updates and patches should be applied immediately upon availability to address known vulnerabilities. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of the FMC interface to only authorized personnel. The implementation of content security policies and proper input sanitization techniques should be enforced throughout the application codebase. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious input patterns and anomalous access to the management interface. Additionally, administrators should consider disabling unnecessary features and implementing multi-factor authentication for access to the FMC interface. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for cross-site scripting attacks and represents a significant risk to enterprise security operations and network integrity.