CVE-2003-0732 in CiscoWorks Common Management Foundation
Summary
by MITRE
CiscoWorks Common Management Foundation (CMF) 2.1 and earlier allows the guest user to obtain restricted information and possibly gain administrative privileges by changing the "guest" user to the Admin user on the Modify or delete users pages.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/16/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-0732 affects CiscoWorks Common Management Foundation version 2.1 and earlier installations, representing a critical access control flaw that undermines the security posture of network management systems. This issue stems from improper authentication and authorization mechanisms within the user management interface, specifically in the modify or delete users pages where guest users can manipulate their privileges to escalate to administrative levels. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient validation of user roles and permissions during the user modification process, allowing unauthorized privilege escalation through simple parameter manipulation.
The technical flaw manifests when a guest user attempts to modify their own account or other user accounts through the web-based management interface. The system fails to properly verify whether the requesting user has sufficient privileges to perform administrative actions, particularly when the guest user attempts to change their role from guest to administrator. This represents a classic privilege escalation vulnerability that can be exploited through direct manipulation of web application parameters or by leveraging the application's insufficient input validation mechanisms. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the authentication and authorization layer, where the application should enforce strict role-based access controls to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to encompass full administrative control of the affected CiscoWorks CMF system. An attacker with guest-level access could potentially compromise the entire network management infrastructure, gaining access to sensitive configuration data, network topology information, and the ability to modify system settings. This creates a significant risk for enterprise environments where CiscoWorks CMF serves as a central management platform for network devices, as it could enable attackers to disrupt network operations, exfiltrate sensitive data, or establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the management system, potentially exposing the entire network to further attacks through compromised administrative credentials.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of affected CiscoWorks CMF installations to versions that properly implement authentication and authorization controls. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to management interfaces and enforce the principle of least privilege for all user accounts. Security controls should be enhanced to include monitoring for suspicious user account modifications and implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative access. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in software systems, and maps to attack techniques in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation and credential access categories. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar authorization flaws in network management systems, and access controls should be reviewed and validated to ensure that administrative functions remain restricted to authorized personnel only.