CVE-2002-1595 in SN 5420 Storage Router
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco SN 5420 Storage Router 1.1(5) and earlier allows attackers to read configuration files without authorization.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1595 affects Cisco Storage Network 5420 Storage Router running software versions 1.1(5) and earlier, representing a critical authorization flaw that undermines the security posture of enterprise storage infrastructure. This issue resides within the router's web-based management interface, where insufficient access controls permit unauthorized users to retrieve sensitive configuration data. The vulnerability stems from improper authentication mechanisms that fail to validate user privileges before granting access to administrative functions. Attackers can exploit this weakness by simply navigating to specific URLs or invoking particular web interface functions without requiring legitimate credentials or elevated privileges. The affected system lacks proper session management and access control validation, allowing any remote user to potentially obtain confidential information including network configurations, user credentials, and system parameters that should remain restricted to authorized administrators only.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of insufficient authorization checking, which aligns with CWE-284 - "Improper Access Control" and represents a fundamental flaw in the router's security architecture. The flaw exists at the application layer of the storage network infrastructure, specifically within the web server component that handles administrative requests. When legitimate administrative functions are accessed through the web interface, the system fails to properly verify whether the requesting user possesses appropriate authorization levels. This misconfiguration allows attackers to bypass normal authentication procedures and directly access configuration files that contain sensitive operational data. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the core storage routing functionality, potentially exposing the entire storage network topology and configuration parameters that could be leveraged for further attacks against the broader network infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with comprehensive insights into the storage network's operational environment. Once unauthorized access to configuration files is achieved, attackers can extract critical information including user account details, network addressing schemes, storage allocation patterns, and potentially sensitive cryptographic keys used for storage authentication. This information can be exploited to conduct more sophisticated attacks such as man-in-the-middle operations, storage network mapping, or even unauthorized data access attempts. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on the Cisco SN 5420 for critical storage operations, potentially compromising the integrity and confidentiality of their data storage infrastructure. The impact is particularly severe in environments where storage networks handle sensitive corporate data, financial records, or regulated information that requires strict access controls and audit trails.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Cisco software versions that address the authorization flaw, typically released after the vulnerability disclosure. The recommended solution involves applying the latest firmware updates from Cisco that include proper access control mechanisms and enhanced authentication procedures for the web management interface. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to the storage router's management interfaces, limiting access to trusted administrative workstations only. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their storage network infrastructure to identify any other potential authorization flaws or misconfigurations. The implementation of strong access controls, regular security audits, and monitoring of administrative access logs becomes critical in preventing exploitation of this vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts against the storage router management interface.