A vulnerability in the implementation of the remote access functionality of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Secure Email and Web Manager, Cisco Secure Email Gateway, and Cisco Secure Web Appliance could allow an authenticated, local attacker to elevate privileges to root. The attacker must authenticate with valid administrator credentials.
This vulnerability is due to an architectural flaw in the password generation algorithm for the remote access functionality. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by generating a temporary password for the service account. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands as root and access the underlying operating system.
The Security Impact Rating (SIR) for this vulnerability is Medium due to the unrestricted scope of information that is accessible to an attacker. Organizations should prioritize patching immediately.
The current CVSS score is 3.4, indicating a low severity level, but the implications of a successful exploit warrant attention.
With no known public exploits available and not classified as actively exploited, organizations still need to take this vulnerability seriously and address it during their patch management cycle.
Vulnerability Details
A vulnerability in the implementation of the remote access functionality of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Secure Email and Web Manager, Cisco Secure Email Gateway, and Cisco Secure Web Appliance could allow an authenticated, local attacker to elevate privileges to root. The attacker must authenticate with valid administrator credentials.
This vulnerability is due to an architectural flaw in the password generation algorithm for the remote access functionality. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by generating a temporary password for the service account. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands as root and access the underlying operating system.
The Security Impact Rating (SIR) for this vulnerability is Medium due to the unrestricted scope of information that is accessible to an attacker.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the architectural flaw of the password generation algorithm used for remote access functionality. This flaw allows an authenticated attacker to create a temporary password, granting them root access.
The attack vector is local, requiring high privileges for an attacker to exploit. The attack complexity is low, and no user interaction is required.
The impacts of a successful exploit include low confidentiality and integrity impacts, with no availability impact.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Risk to organizations includes unauthorized access to sensitive information and execution of arbitrary commands on the affected systems. While the CVSS score indicates a low severity, the potential for significant impact on the organization’s security posture necessitates prompt remediation.
Given the architectural flaw, the blast radius could extend beyond the initial compromised system, potentially impacting other connected systems within the network.
Organizations should address in priority patch cycle to mitigate the associated risks.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
All versions prior to vendor patch are affected, including:
Cisco AsyncOS versions 13.0.0-392, 13.0.5-007, 13.5.1-277, 13.5.4-038, 14.0.0-698, 14.2.0-620, 14.2.1-020, 14.3.0-032, 15.0.0-104, 15.0.1-030, 15.0.3-002, 15.5.0-048, 15.5.1-055, and 15.5.2-018.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should ensure they are running the latest version of the Cisco AsyncOS Software. Information on the latest updates can be found on the Cisco Security Advisory page.
If a patch is not available, organizations should consider implementing strict access controls to the affected systems, monitoring logs for suspicious activity, and ensuring proper configuration management.
Detection Guidance
Monitor logs for unauthorized access attempts, particularly to the remote access functionality. Suspicious patterns may indicate an attempt to exploit this vulnerability.
Also, keep an eye out for unexpected changes in user privileges or abnormal commands executed by service accounts.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
This vulnerability reflects a broader trend of architectural flaws that can lead to significant security implications. Organizations must prioritize secure coding practices to mitigate risks associated with privilege escalation vulnerabilities.
Security teams should adopt a proactive stance, utilizing continuous security testing to identify and remediate vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
Engaging in a comprehensive penetration testing program can help organizations stay ahead of potential threats.
By adopting a risk-based approach and prioritizing vulnerabilities based on their potential impact, organizations can better allocate resources and enhance their overall security posture.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
.webp)