Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a reflected XSS issue in Cisco Data Center Analytics Framework's web management interface. An attacker would need to convince an interface user to open a malicious link. Successful exploitation could run script in that user's browser context and expose browser-accessible sensitive information.
Executive priority
Treat this as a moderate-priority management-plane risk. It is not described as actively exploited, but it can affect administrator sessions and sensitive browser data if users are tricked into opening malicious links.
Technical view
CVE-2019-16015 is CWE-79 reflected XSS caused by insufficient validation of user-supplied input in the Cisco Data Center Analytics Framework web UI. The CVSS 3.0 score is 6.1: network reachable, low complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, changed scope, low confidentiality and integrity impact, no availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to environments running Cisco Data Center Analytics Framework where users can access the web-based management interface. The source bundle does not specify affected versions or CPEs, so asset validation must rely on Cisco guidance and internal inventory.
Exploitation context
The bundle describes phishing-style exploitation: an attacker persuades a management-interface user to click a crafted link. There is no KEV listing and no provided source evidence of active exploitation.
Researcher notes
Key uncertainty is affected-version detail: the source bundle lists Cisco Data Center Analytics Framework with unspecified versions. Avoid assuming fixed releases. Validate against the Cisco advisory, confirm UI reachability, and assess compensating controls around management access and administrator phishing exposure.
Mitigation direction
- Review Cisco advisory cisco-sa-20200108-dcaf-xss for fixed releases or vendor workarounds.
- Restrict access to the management interface to trusted networks and authorized administrators.
- Warn administrators not to open untrusted links while authenticated to the interface.
- Inventory Cisco Data Center Analytics Framework deployments and record product version details.
- Monitor vendor guidance because the bundle does not name a specific patch or mitigation.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether Cisco Data Center Analytics Framework is deployed in the environment.
- Identify which management interfaces are reachable by administrators or broader networks.
- Check deployed versions against Cisco's advisory and internal asset records.
- Review logs for suspicious links or unexpected web UI activity involving administrators.
- Verify administrative access controls limit exposure to trusted users and networks.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-79: User-session and phishing behavior lookup
Client-side and session-facing weaknesses should be reviewed alongside initial-access and user-execution behaviors. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2019-16015 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 6.1 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N2.82.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
6.1MediumVector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- 20200108 Cisco Data Center Analytics Framework Cross-Site Scripting VulnerabilityCVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_CISCO
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.