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CVE Record

CVE-2020-3178: Cisco Content Security Management Appliance Open Redirect Vulnerabilities

Multiple vulnerabilities in the web-based GUI of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Content Security Management Appliance (SMA) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to redirect a user to a malicious web page. The vulnerabilities are due to improper input validation of the parameters of an HTTP request. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by intercepting an HTTP request and modifying it to redirect a user to a specific malicious URL. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to redirect a user to a malicious web page or to obtain sensitive browser-based information. This type of attack is commonly referred to as an open redirect attack and is used in phishing attacks to get users to unknowingly visit malicious sites.

MediumCVSS 6.1Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

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.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
3

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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 · medium confidence lookup

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 lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-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
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
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

Official CVE source material

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.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
2Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
6.1CVSS 3.0MediumCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N2.82.7Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

6.1Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2020-3178Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
CiscoCisco Content Security Management Appliance (SMA)n/aListed
Weakness

CWE details

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-601 · source CWE mapping

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.