CVE-2023-20131 in Prime Infrastructure
Summary
by MITRE • 04/05/2023
Multiple vulnerabilities in the web-based management interface of Cisco Prime Infrastructure and Cisco Evolved Programmable Network Manager (EPNM) could allow a remote attacker to obtain privileged information and conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) and cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks. For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details section of this advisory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/24/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-20131 represents a critical security flaw affecting Cisco Prime Infrastructure and Cisco Evolved Programmable Network Manager web-based management interfaces. These platforms serve as essential tools for network administrators to manage and monitor complex network infrastructures, making their security paramount to overall network safety. The affected systems operate within enterprise environments where they handle sensitive network configuration data, user credentials, and operational parameters that require robust protection against unauthorized access and malicious activities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and inadequate output encoding within the web interfaces of these Cisco products. Attackers can exploit these weaknesses through crafted malicious payloads delivered via web requests to the management interfaces. The vulnerability specifically enables unauthorized information disclosure, allowing attackers to access privileged data that should remain restricted to authorized personnel only. This includes sensitive network configuration details, user authentication information, and system operational parameters that could provide attackers with comprehensive insights into the target network infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to encompass sophisticated attack vectors including cross-site scripting and cross-site request forgery exploitation. These combined attack capabilities enable adversaries to execute malicious scripts within the context of authenticated user sessions, potentially leading to complete compromise of the management interface. The cross-site scripting component allows attackers to inject malicious code that executes in the victim's browser, while the cross-site request forgery component enables unauthorized actions to be performed on behalf of authenticated users without their knowledge or consent. This dual exploitation capability significantly amplifies the potential damage that can be inflicted through a single vulnerability.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as aligning with CWE-79 for cross-site scripting and CWE-352 for cross-site request forgery, both of which represent fundamental web application security weaknesses that have been extensively documented in the cybersecurity community. The ATT&CK framework categorizes these vulnerabilities under the T1190 technique for Exploit Public-Facing Application, highlighting the threat landscape where attackers target web interfaces to gain unauthorized access to network management systems. Organizations utilizing these Cisco products face increased risk of lateral movement within their networks and potential data exfiltration, particularly when network administrators interact with compromised management interfaces.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate deployment of Cisco's security patches and updates as released through their official advisory channels. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit exposure of these management interfaces to only necessary administrative users. Regular security assessments and monitoring of web application logs should be conducted to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and input validation controls can provide additional defense layers against similar vulnerabilities in the future, while regular security awareness training for network administrators can help prevent social engineering attacks that might exploit these weaknesses.