CVE-2024-20347 in Emergency Responder
Summary
by MITRE • 04/03/2024
A vulnerability in Cisco Emergency Responder could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a CSRF attack, which could allow the attacker to perform arbitrary actions on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient protections for the web UI of an affected system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user to click a crafted link. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to perform arbitrary actions with the privilege level of the affected user, such as deleting users from the device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/11/2025
Cisco Emergency Responder contains a cross-site request forgery vulnerability that enables unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary actions on affected devices. This weakness stems from inadequate protections within the web user interface of the affected system, creating a pathway for malicious exploitation through crafted web requests. The vulnerability specifically affects the authentication mechanisms protecting administrative functions within the web interface, allowing attackers to manipulate user sessions and perform unauthorized operations.
The technical flaw manifests as insufficient validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-CSRF token implementation within the web application layer. When a user visits a malicious website or clicks on a crafted link containing malicious requests, the browser automatically submits requests to the vulnerable Cisco Emergency Responder device without requiring additional authentication. This occurs because the device fails to verify that requests originate from legitimate sources within the same domain or implement proper session validation controls. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation to potentially compromise the entire security posture of emergency responder systems. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to delete user accounts, modify system configurations, or escalate privileges within the device. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require physical access to the device or network proximity, making it particularly dangerous for critical infrastructure deployments. The vulnerability essentially allows attackers to perform administrative functions under the privileges of authenticated users, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate affected devices, deployment of web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests, and implementation of proper CSRF protection mechanisms. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of Cisco Emergency Responder within their network infrastructure. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1566, which covers Phishing techniques, and T1078, which addresses Valid Accounts usage, as attackers leverage legitimate user sessions to execute malicious commands. Additionally, implementing multi-factor authentication and regular security audits can help reduce the overall risk exposure from such vulnerabilities.