CVE-2024-20372 in Firepower Management Center
Summary
by MITRE • 10/23/2024
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack against a user of the interface of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input by the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/03/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-20372 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the web-based management interface of Cisco Firepower Management Center software. This security weakness specifically affects the FMC's web interface which serves as the primary administrative portal for managing network security policies and configurations across Cisco firewalls and intrusion prevention systems. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied data before processing and rendering within the web interface. This flaw exists in the software's user interface components that handle various data input fields, making it possible for attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of authenticated sessions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an authenticated attacker who already possesses valid credentials to access the FMC management interface. Once authenticated, the attacker can manipulate input fields within the web interface to inject malicious javascript code or other script payloads. The insufficient input validation allows these crafted inputs to bypass security controls and execute within the victim's browser session, potentially enabling the attacker to steal session cookies, modify interface functionality, or access sensitive information. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in web applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can compromise the integrity and confidentiality of the entire management interface. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially escalate privileges within the FMC environment, access sensitive configuration data, or manipulate network security policies that could affect the entire network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the management plane of Cisco's security appliances, meaning that successful exploitation could provide attackers with administrative control over critical network security functions. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it targets the very interface used to manage and monitor network security policies, potentially allowing attackers to disable security controls or redirect traffic through maliciously configured rules.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Cisco, which address the input validation deficiencies in the web interface. Network segmentation and access controls should be enhanced to limit access to the FMC interface to only authorized personnel with legitimate business needs. Web application firewalls should be deployed to monitor and filter traffic to the management interface, providing an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks. Regular security assessments of the web interface should be conducted to identify potential input validation gaps, and input sanitization should be strengthened throughout the application code. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of implementing proper security controls such as content security policies and output encoding to prevent script execution in web applications. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing multi-factor authentication for FMC access and maintain detailed monitoring of administrative activities within the management interface to detect potential exploitation attempts.