CVE-2024-20274 in Firepower Management Center
Summary
by MITRE • 10/23/2024
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) Software, formerly Firepower Management Center Software, could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to inject arbitrary HTML content into a device-generated document.
This vulnerability is due to improper validation of user-supplied data. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting malicious content to an affected device and using the device to generate a document that contains sensitive information. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to alter the standard layout of the device-generated documents, access arbitrary files from the underlying operating system, and conduct server-side request forgery (SSRF) attacks. To successfully exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need valid credentials for a user account with policy-editing permissions, such as Network Admin, Intrusion Admin, or any custom user role with the same capabilities.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-20274 resides within the web-based management interface of Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center software, formerly known as Firepower Management Center Software. This critical flaw manifests in the improper validation of user-supplied data, creating a pathway for authenticated remote attackers to inject arbitrary HTML content into device-generated documents. The vulnerability specifically affects the document generation functionality that processes user inputs, which can be exploited by attackers who have already established valid credentials with policy-editing privileges. The attack vector requires an authenticated session with sufficient permissions, typically involving roles such as Network Admin, Intrusion Admin, or custom user roles possessing equivalent capabilities. This authentication requirement places the vulnerability in the context of privilege escalation and lateral movement scenarios rather than purely remote exploitation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate the standard layout of device-generated documents through HTML injection techniques. This capability extends beyond simple cosmetic alterations to provide access to arbitrary files within the underlying operating system through the document generation process. The vulnerability also facilitates server-side request forgery attacks, where the affected system can be coerced into making unauthorized requests to internal or external resources. The improper input validation creates a pathway for attackers to bypass normal security controls and access sensitive information that would otherwise be restricted. This flaw falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities, specifically representing a server-side variant that can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-20274 extends significantly beyond simple document manipulation, creating potential for broader system compromise and data exfiltration. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to access sensitive configuration files, system logs, and other critical information stored within the operating system. The server-side request forgery component particularly enables attackers to probe internal network resources, potentially mapping network topology and identifying additional vulnerable systems. The combination of HTML injection, file access, and SSRF capabilities creates a multi-vector attack scenario that can be leveraged for reconnaissance, privilege escalation, and persistent access. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK techniques such as T1059.007 for command and script interpreter and T1566 for phishing, as attackers can use the injected content to redirect users to malicious sites or extract information from internal systems.
Organizations utilizing Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center software should immediately implement mitigations to address this vulnerability, including applying the latest security patches provided by Cisco. Network segmentation and access controls should be reviewed to limit the number of users with policy-editing permissions, reducing the attack surface. Regular monitoring of document generation activities and user sessions can help detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. Security teams should also implement web application firewalls and input validation controls to prevent malicious content from being processed by the affected system. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web applications, particularly in management interfaces that handle user-supplied data for document generation purposes. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their management interfaces to identify similar validation flaws that could create additional attack vectors.