Cisco Catalyst Center Virtual Appliance HTTP Open Redirect Vulnerability

TL;DR 📌

A medium-severity HTTP open redirect vulnerability has been identified in the Cisco Catalyst Center Virtual Appliance. This flaw could allow unauthenticated attackers to redirect users to malicious web pages. Cisco has released fixed software versions, but there are no workarounds available.

What happened 🕵️‍♂️

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of the Cisco Catalyst Center Virtual Appliance has been discovered. This issue arises from improper input validation of HTTP request parameters, enabling an unauthenticated remote attacker to intercept and modify HTTP requests. If exploited, this could redirect users to malicious web pages, posing a security risk.

Affected products 🖥️

The vulnerability affects the Cisco Catalyst Center Virtual Appliance running on VMware ESXi, regardless of device configuration. Cisco has confirmed that the following products are not vulnerable:

• Catalyst Center hardware appliances
• Catalyst Center Virtual Appliance on Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Fixed software 🔧

Upgrade to the first fixed release in your train (or later):

Workarounds 🧯

There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability.

Risk in context 🎯

The highest CVSS score for this vulnerability is 4.7, categorizing it as Medium severity. While there is no direct impact on confidentiality, integrity, or availability, the potential for redirection to malicious sites poses a risk to users. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to the fixed software to mitigate this risk.

Fast facts ⚡

• Vulnerability: HTTP Open Redirect
• CVSS Score: 4.7 (Medium)
• Exploitation: Unauthenticated remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability.
• No workarounds available: Immediate action required to upgrade.

For leadership 🧭

This vulnerability presents a Medium risk to our organization, as it could allow unauthenticated attackers to redirect users to malicious sites. The exposure is primarily internet-facing, with no authentication required for exploitation. We recommend patching within 7 days to mitigate this risk, as there are no workarounds available. The operational impact is expected to be minimal, requiring a brief maintenance window with no configuration drift anticipated.

Now: Upgrade to fixed software versions as soon as possible.
Next: Monitor for any signs of exploitation.
Later: Review security policies and training to prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future.