CVE-2001-0412 in Content Services Switch 11800
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Content Services (CSS) switch products 11800 and earlier, aka Arrowpoint, allows local users to gain privileges by entering debug mode.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/17/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0412 affects Cisco Content Services switch products including the 11800 series and earlier models, commonly known as Arrowpoint appliances. This represents a critical privilege escalation flaw that fundamentally undermines the security posture of these network infrastructure devices. The vulnerability resides in the authentication and access control mechanisms of the device's debugging interface, creating a pathway for unauthorized local access that can be exploited by attackers with physical or administrative access to the system.
The technical flaw manifests through the improper implementation of access controls within the debug mode functionality of the Cisco Content Services switch. When local users execute specific commands or sequences, they can bypass normal authentication procedures and gain elevated privileges within the system. This vulnerability specifically targets the device's debug mode implementation, which should normally be restricted to authorized personnel only. The flaw allows any local user to transition from standard user privileges to administrative access without proper authentication, effectively eliminating the device's built-in security controls. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE category of weak access control mechanisms, specifically CWE-284 which addresses improper access control.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the affected Cisco Content Services switches. Once exploited, attackers can modify network configurations, redirect traffic, monitor communications, and potentially compromise the entire network infrastructure that relies on these devices for content delivery and load balancing. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal privileges to exploit and can be leveraged to establish persistent access to the network. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the privilege escalation techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation category, specifically targeting local system privileges and potentially enabling further lateral movement within the network.
The security implications extend beyond immediate privilege escalation, as these devices typically serve as critical network components in enterprise environments. The vulnerability affects the integrity and availability of network services, as malicious actors could disable or modify critical content delivery functions. Organizations using these devices face potential data breaches, service disruptions, and unauthorized access to sensitive network traffic. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor security design practices in the device's command execution environment, where debug functionality lacks proper privilege validation. This represents a fundamental flaw in the device's security architecture and highlights the importance of proper access control implementation in network infrastructure devices. Mitigation strategies should include immediate firmware updates from Cisco, network segmentation to limit local access, and implementation of monitoring controls to detect unauthorized debug mode usage. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of secure coding practices and proper access control implementation in network security devices.