Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This flaw lets a remote unauthenticated attacker alter an HTTP request to make the Cisco SMA web interface send a user to another site. The main business risk is phishing or browser-based information exposure, not direct appliance takeover. User interaction is required.
Executive priority
Handle through normal vulnerability management with phishing-risk awareness. Prioritize faster if the SMA GUI is externally reachable, broadly accessible internally, or commonly linked in administrative workflows.
Technical view
CVE-2020-3178 is a CWE-601 open redirect in the Cisco Content Security Management Appliance web GUI caused by improper validation of HTTP request parameters. It is network-reachable, low-complexity, unauthenticated, and requires user interaction. CVSS v3.0 is 6.1 with low confidentiality and integrity impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to organizations using Cisco Content Security Management Appliance with the affected AsyncOS web GUI reachable to potential victims. The source bundle does not provide specific affected versions or deployment conditions.
Exploitation context
The source bundle says exploitation involves intercepting and modifying an HTTP request to redirect a user. KEV is false, and no cited source states active exploitation. The vulnerability is useful in phishing because a trusted appliance URL can lead users to a malicious page.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports an open redirect class issue, not direct code execution. The bundle lacks affected version detail, fixed-release detail, and exploit-in-the-wild evidence. Avoid assuming exploitation or remediation beyond Cisco advisory confirmation.
Mitigation direction
- Review Cisco advisory for affected releases and vendor remediation guidance.
- Limit SMA web GUI access to trusted administrative networks where practical.
- Treat unexpected SMA links as phishing-sensitive until validated.
- Review identity and browser protections for credential-phishing resistance.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Cisco Content Security Management Appliance deployments.
- Check installed AsyncOS/SMA versions against Cisco advisory guidance.
- Confirm whether the SMA web GUI is internet-accessible or broadly reachable.
- Review recent security reports for suspicious SMA redirect or phishing activity.
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-601: 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-2020-3178 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
- 20200506 Cisco Content Security Management Appliance Open Redirect VulnerabilitiesCVE 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.
URL Redirection to Untrusted Site ('Open Redirect')
URL Redirection to Untrusted Site ('Open Redirect') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.
