CVE-2024-20352 in Emergency Responder
Summary
by MITRE • 04/03/2024
A vulnerability in Cisco Emergency Responder could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to conduct a directory traversal 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 sending crafted requests to the web UI. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to perform arbitrary actions with the privilege level of the affected user, such as accessing password or log files or uploading and deleting existing files from the system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/09/2024
Cisco Emergency Responder contains a directory traversal vulnerability that enables authenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary actions on affected devices. This weakness stems from inadequate protections within the web user interface of the system, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate file system access through crafted HTTP requests. The vulnerability specifically affects the web UI components that handle file operations and directory navigation, allowing attackers to bypass normal access controls and traverse filesystem boundaries.
The technical flaw manifests when the web interface fails to properly validate or sanitize user input submitted through HTTP requests. This insufficient input validation creates a directory traversal condition where attackers can manipulate file path references to access files outside the intended directory structure. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires authentication to exploit, meaning attackers must first establish valid credentials to the system before attempting the traversal attack. This authentication requirement provides some protection against automated scanning but does not prevent targeted attacks from authenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows attackers with valid credentials to perform unauthorized actions with the privilege level of the compromised user account. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to access sensitive information such as password files, system logs, and other confidential data stored on the device. Additionally, the vulnerability permits file manipulation capabilities including uploading malicious files, deleting existing files, and potentially executing arbitrary code on the system. The privilege escalation potential depends on the user account's permissions, but even limited access could provide attackers with substantial information gathering capabilities.
Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest Cisco security patches and updates to address the directory traversal vulnerability. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enforced to limit administrative access to the Emergency Responder system, reducing the potential impact of credential compromise. Regular monitoring of system logs for suspicious file access patterns and unusual directory traversal attempts should be implemented. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-22 Directory Traversal and maps to ATT&CK techniques including T1078 Valid Accounts for initial access and T1566 Phishing for credential acquisition. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar input validation weaknesses in other web applications and ensure proper access controls are implemented across all system components.