CVE-2004-1458 in ACS
Summary
by MITRE
The CSAdmin web administration interface for Cisco Secure Access Control Server (ACS) 3.2(2) build 15 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (hang) via a flood of TCP connections to port 2002.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-1458 represents a classic denial of service flaw affecting Cisco Secure Access Control Server version 3.2(2) build 15. This issue specifically targets the CSAdmin web administration interface which operates on TCP port 2002, a critical management port for configuring and monitoring the access control server. The vulnerability stems from insufficient connection handling mechanisms within the web interface implementation, creating a scenario where the system becomes unresponsive when subjected to excessive concurrent connections. This particular flaw demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the server's resource management capabilities, particularly when dealing with connection flooding attacks that exploit the interface's lack of proper rate limiting or connection throttling measures.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves a simple yet effective flood of TCP connections to port 2002, which causes the CSAdmin interface to hang or become unresponsive. This behavior aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes improper handling of resources leading to denial of service conditions. The attack vector operates at the network layer, requiring minimal sophistication to execute while still producing significant operational impact. The vulnerability's exploitation does not require authentication or special privileges, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by any remote attacker with access to the network. The system's failure mode manifests as complete service unavailability for the administration interface, effectively preventing authorized personnel from managing or monitoring the access control server during the attack period.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption, as it compromises the security posture of the entire network infrastructure relying on the Cisco Secure ACS. When the administration interface becomes unresponsive, network administrators lose the ability to configure access policies, monitor user sessions, or respond to security incidents in real-time. This disruption can lead to unauthorized access attempts going unmonitored, policy changes becoming impossible to implement, and overall network security management being severely impaired. The vulnerability's presence in a critical security component like an access control server creates a cascading effect where the primary security mechanism becomes unavailable during attack conditions, potentially allowing malicious actors to bypass other security controls. Organizations using this version of Cisco Secure ACS face significant risk during peak network usage periods when connection flooding attacks could be easily executed to disrupt critical network access control functions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing network-level protections such as firewall rules to restrict access to TCP port 2002, limiting connections from specific IP ranges, and implementing rate limiting mechanisms to prevent connection flooding. Network administrators should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on unusual connection patterns targeting port 2002. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to a patched version of Cisco Secure ACS that includes proper connection handling and resource management improvements. Organizations should also implement redundant access control mechanisms and ensure that critical administrative functions can be performed through alternative channels when the primary interface becomes unavailable. Additionally, implementing proper monitoring and alerting for connection exhaustion conditions can help detect and respond to such attacks more rapidly. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of implementing robust resource management and connection handling within security-critical applications, as outlined in ATT&CK technique T1499, which addresses denial of service attacks targeting system resources.