Vulnerabilities > CVE-2020-3164 - Improper Input Validation vulnerability in Cisco products

047910
CVSS 5.3 - MEDIUM
Attack vector
NETWORK
Attack complexity
LOW
Privileges required
NONE
Confidentiality impact
NONE
Integrity impact
NONE
Availability impact
LOW
network
low complexity
cisco
CWE-20
nessus
NVD
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2024-11-21

Summary

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco AsyncOS for Cisco Email Security Appliance (ESA), Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA), and Cisco Content Security Management Appliance (SMA) could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to cause high CPU usage on an affected device, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of specific HTTP request headers. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a malformed HTTP request to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to trigger a prolonged status of high CPU utilization relative to the GUI process(es). Upon successful exploitation of this vulnerability, an affected device will still be operative, but its response time and overall performance may be degraded.

Vulnerable Configurations

Part Description Count
Application
Cisco
195

Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

  • Buffer Overflow via Environment Variables
    This attack pattern involves causing a buffer overflow through manipulation of environment variables. Once the attacker finds that they can modify an environment variable, they may try to overflow associated buffers. This attack leverages implicit trust often placed in environment variables.
  • Server Side Include (SSI) Injection
    An attacker can use Server Side Include (SSI) Injection to send code to a web application that then gets executed by the web server. Doing so enables the attacker to achieve similar results to Cross Site Scripting, viz., arbitrary code execution and information disclosure, albeit on a more limited scale, since the SSI directives are nowhere near as powerful as a full-fledged scripting language. Nonetheless, the attacker can conveniently gain access to sensitive files, such as password files, and execute shell commands.
  • Cross Zone Scripting
    An attacker is able to cause a victim to load content into their web-browser that bypasses security zone controls and gain access to increased privileges to execute scripting code or other web objects such as unsigned ActiveX controls or applets. This is a privilege elevation attack targeted at zone-based web-browser security. In a zone-based model, pages belong to one of a set of zones corresponding to the level of privilege assigned to that page. Pages in an untrusted zone would have a lesser level of access to the system and/or be restricted in the types of executable content it was allowed to invoke. In a cross-zone scripting attack, a page that should be assigned to a less privileged zone is granted the privileges of a more trusted zone. This can be accomplished by exploiting bugs in the browser, exploiting incorrect configuration in the zone controls, through a cross-site scripting attack that causes the attackers' content to be treated as coming from a more trusted page, or by leveraging some piece of system functionality that is accessible from both the trusted and less trusted zone. This attack differs from "Restful Privilege Escalation" in that the latter correlates to the inadequate securing of RESTful access methods (such as HTTP DELETE) on the server, while cross-zone scripting attacks the concept of security zones as implemented by a browser.
  • Cross Site Scripting through Log Files
    An attacker may leverage a system weakness where logs are susceptible to log injection to insert scripts into the system's logs. If these logs are later viewed by an administrator through a thin administrative interface and the log data is not properly HTML encoded before being written to the page, the attackers' scripts stored in the log will be executed in the administrative interface with potentially serious consequences. This attack pattern is really a combination of two other attack patterns: log injection and stored cross site scripting.
  • Command Line Execution through SQL Injection
    An attacker uses standard SQL injection methods to inject data into the command line for execution. This could be done directly through misuse of directives such as MSSQL_xp_cmdshell or indirectly through injection of data into the database that would be interpreted as shell commands. Sometime later, an unscrupulous backend application (or could be part of the functionality of the same application) fetches the injected data stored in the database and uses this data as command line arguments without performing proper validation. The malicious data escapes that data plane by spawning new commands to be executed on the host.

Nessus

  • NASL familyCISCO
    NASL idCISCO-SA-WSA-DOS-NJ625DXB.NASL
    descriptionAccording to its self-reported version, the Cisco Web Security Appliance is affected by a Denial of Service vulnerability. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of specific HTTP request headers. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a malformed HTTP request to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to trigger a prolonged status of high CPU utilization relative to the GUI process(es). Please see the included Cisco BIDs and the Cisco Security Advisory for more information.
    last seen2020-03-17
    modified2020-03-13
    plugin id134446
    published2020-03-13
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2020 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/134446
    titleCisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) GUI Denial of Service Vulnerability
    code
    #TRUSTED 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
#
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(134446);
  script_version("1.4");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2020/03/16");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2020-3164");
  script_xref(name:"CISCO-BUG-ID", value:"CSCvq96943");
  script_xref(name:"CISCO-BUG-ID", value:"CSCvs33296");
  script_xref(name:"CISCO-BUG-ID", value:"CSCvs33306");
  script_xref(name:"CISCO-SA", value:"cisco-sa-cont-sec-gui-dos-nJ625dXb");
  script_xref(name:"IAVA", value:"2020-A-0100");

  script_name(english:"Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) GUI Denial of Service Vulnerability");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The remote device is missing a vendor-supplied security patch.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"According to its self-reported version, the Cisco Web Security Appliance is affected by a Denial of Service
vulnerability. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of specific HTTP request headers. An attacker
could exploit this vulnerability by sending a malformed HTTP request to an affected device. A successful exploit
could allow the attacker to trigger a prolonged status of high CPU utilization relative to the GUI process(es).

Please see the included Cisco BIDs and the Cisco Security Advisory for more information.");
  # https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-cont-sec-gui-dos-nJ625dXb
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?bded73ef");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://bst.cloudapps.cisco.com/bugsearch/bug/CSCvq96943");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://bst.cloudapps.cisco.com/bugsearch/bug/CSCvs33296");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://bst.cloudapps.cisco.com/bugsearch/bug/CSCvs33306");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"Upgrade to the relevant fixed version referenced in Cisco Security Advisory
cisco-sa-cont-sec-gui-dos-nJ625dXb.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:OF/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2020-3164");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2020/03/04");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2020/03/04");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2020/03/13");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:cisco:web_security_appliance_(wsa)");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"stig_severity", value:"II");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"CISCO");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2020 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("cisco_wsa_version.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/AsyncOS/Cisco Web Security Appliance/DisplayVersion", "Host/AsyncOS/Cisco Web Security Appliance/Version");

  exit(0);
}

include('audit.inc');
include('cisco_workarounds.inc');
include('ccf.inc');

product_info = cisco::get_product_info(name:'Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA)');

# Cisco WSA Release 12.0.1-268 and earlier
vuln_ranges = [{ 'min_ver' : '0.0' ,'fix_ver' : '12.0.1.269' }];

reporting = make_array(
  'port'     , 0,
  'severity' , SECURITY_WARNING,
  'version'  , product_info['version'],
  'fix'      , '12.0.1-269',
  'bug_id'   , 'CSCvs33306'
);

cisco::check_and_report(
  product_info:product_info,
  reporting:reporting,
  vuln_ranges:vuln_ranges
);
  • NASL familyCISCO
    NASL idCISCO-SA-SMA-DOS-NJ625DXB.NASL
    descriptionAccording to its self-reported version, the Cisco Content Security Management Appliance (SMA) is affected by a Denial of Service vulnerability. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of specific HTTP request headers. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a malformed HTTP request to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to trigger a prolonged status of high CPU utilization relative to the GUI process(es). Please see the included Cisco BIDs and the Cisco Security Advisory for more information.
    last seen2020-03-17
    modified2020-03-13
    plugin id134445
    published2020-03-13
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2020 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/134445
    titleCisco Content Security Management Appliance (SMA) GUI Denial of Service Vulnerability
    code
    #TRUSTED 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
#
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(134445);
  script_version("1.4");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2020/03/16");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2020-3164");
  script_xref(name:"CISCO-BUG-ID", value:"CSCvq96943");
  script_xref(name:"CISCO-BUG-ID", value:"CSCvs33296");
  script_xref(name:"CISCO-BUG-ID", value:"CSCvs33306");
  script_xref(name:"CISCO-SA", value:"cisco-sa-cont-sec-gui-dos-nJ625dXb");
  script_xref(name:"IAVA", value:"2020-A-0100");

  script_name(english:"Cisco Content Security Management Appliance (SMA) GUI Denial of Service Vulnerability");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The remote device is missing a vendor-supplied security patch.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"According to its self-reported version, the Cisco Content Security Management Appliance (SMA) is affected by a Denial
of Service vulnerability. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of specific HTTP request headers. An attacker
could exploit this vulnerability by sending a malformed HTTP request to an affected device. A successful exploit could
allow the attacker to trigger a prolonged status of high CPU utilization relative to the GUI process(es).

Please see the included Cisco BIDs and the Cisco Security Advisory for more information.");
  # https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-cont-sec-gui-dos-nJ625dXb
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?bded73ef");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://bst.cloudapps.cisco.com/bugsearch/bug/CSCvq96943");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://bst.cloudapps.cisco.com/bugsearch/bug/CSCvs33296");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://bst.cloudapps.cisco.com/bugsearch/bug/CSCvs33306");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"Upgrade to the relevant fixed version referenced in Cisco Security Advisory
cisco-sa-cont-sec-gui-dos-nJ625dXb.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:OF/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2020-3164");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2020/03/04");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2020/03/04");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2020/03/13");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"combined");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/h:cisco:content_security_management_appliance");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"stig_severity", value:"II");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"CISCO");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2020 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("cisco_sma_version.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/AsyncOS/Cisco Content Security Management Appliance/DisplayVersion", "Host/AsyncOS/Cisco Content Security Management Appliance/Version");

  exit(0);
}

include('audit.inc');
include('cisco_workarounds.inc');
include('ccf.inc');

product_info = cisco::get_product_info(name:"Cisco Content Security Management Appliance (SMA)");

#Cisco SMA releases earlier than 13.6.0
vuln_list = [{'min_ver' : '0.0' , 'fix_ver' : '13.6.0'}];

reporting = make_array(
  'port'     , 0,
  'severity' , SECURITY_WARNING,
  'version'  , product_info['version'],
  'fix'      , '13.6.0',
  'bug_id'   , 'CSCvq96943'
);

cisco::check_and_report(
  product_info:product_info,
  reporting:reporting,
  vuln_ranges:vuln_list
);
  • NASL familyCISCO
    NASL idCISCO-SA-ESA-DOS-NJ625DXB.NASL
    descriptionAccording to its self-reported version, the Cisco Email Security Appliance (ESA) is affected by a Denial of Service vulnerability. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of specific HTTP request headers. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a malformed HTTP request to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to trigger a prolonged status of high CPU utilization relative to the GUI process(es). Please see the included Cisco BIDs and the Cisco Security Advisory for more information.
    last seen2020-03-17
    modified2020-03-13
    plugin id134444
    published2020-03-13
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2020 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/134444
    titleCisco Email Security Appliance (ESA) GUI Denial of Service Vulnerability

References