CVE-2019-12711 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability in the web interface of Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco Unified Communications Manager Session Management Edition (SME) allows attackers to remotely access sensitive data or cause a denial of service (DoS) situation by exploiting inadequate constraints on XML entities.

Understanding CVE-2019-12711

This CVE involves a security flaw in Cisco Unified Communications Manager that could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information or a DoS attack.

What is CVE-2019-12711?

The vulnerability in Cisco Unified Communications Manager and SME arises from insufficient restrictions on XML entities, enabling attackers to send malicious requests containing XML entity references to the affected system.

The Impact of CVE-2019-12711

If successfully exploited, attackers can retrieve files from the local system, exposing sensitive data, or cause resource consumption, resulting in a DoS condition.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-12711

This section delves into the technical aspects of the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows remote attackers to access sensitive data or trigger a DoS condition by sending crafted XML entity references.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Cisco Unified Communications Manager
Vendor: Cisco
Versions: Unspecified

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Scope: Changed
CVSS Score: 6.1 (Medium)

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2019-12711 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply vendor-provided patches promptly
Monitor network traffic for suspicious activities
Restrict access to the affected systems

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch software and firmware
Conduct security training for employees to recognize phishing attempts

Patching and Updates

Cisco has released security updates to address this vulnerability