CVE-2005-4825 in Clean Access
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Clean Access 3.5.5 and earlier on the Secure Smart Manager allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and cause a denial of service (disk consumption), or make unauthorized files accessible, by uploading files through requests to certain JSP scripts, a related issue to CVE-2005-4332.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/04/2017
Cisco Clean Access 3.5.5 and earlier versions running on the Secure Smart Manager contain a critical security vulnerability that enables remote attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms and execute unauthorized file operations through manipulated requests to specific JSP scripts. This vulnerability represents a significant weakness in the authentication and access control systems of the platform, allowing malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to sensitive resources. The flaw specifically manifests when the system processes file upload requests through certain Java Server Pages scripts, creating an attack vector that can be exploited from remote locations without requiring legitimate credentials or prior access to the system. The vulnerability falls under the category of insecure file handling and authentication bypass issues, with potential impacts ranging from unauthorized data access to system resource exhaustion and complete service disruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and insufficient access controls within the JSP processing framework of the Clean Access system. Attackers can craft malicious requests that exploit the file upload functionality to place unauthorized files in system directories, effectively bypassing the normal authentication flow that should prevent such operations. When these requests are processed by the vulnerable JSP scripts, the system fails to properly verify the legitimacy of the upload requests or enforce appropriate access restrictions. This results in a scenario where remote adversaries can manipulate the system to accept and process files that should be restricted, potentially leading to the execution of malicious code or the exposure of sensitive system information. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input sanitization practices and inadequate privilege enforcement mechanisms, creating a pathway for unauthorized system manipulation through seemingly legitimate file transfer operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple authentication bypass to encompass potential denial of service conditions and unauthorized data exposure. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause significant disk space consumption as attackers upload large files or multiple files to exhaust available storage resources, leading to system instability and service disruption. Additionally, the unauthorized file access capabilities can result in sensitive configuration files, user credentials, or system logs becoming accessible to malicious actors who would otherwise be blocked by the authentication system. The combination of these effects creates a multi-faceted threat that can compromise both the availability and confidentiality of the affected system. The vulnerability's relationship to CVE-2005-4332 indicates a broader pattern of insecure file handling practices within the Cisco Clean Access platform, suggesting that similar weaknesses may exist in other components of the system. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in network access control environments where the system's integrity and access control mechanisms are critical for maintaining network security boundaries.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including patching to the latest available versions of Cisco Clean Access software, implementing network segmentation to limit access to vulnerable components, and strengthening input validation controls on JSP scripts. The implementation of proper access controls and authentication mechanisms should be reinforced to prevent unauthorized file upload operations, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect and alert on suspicious file upload activities. Network administrators should also consider disabling unnecessary file upload functionality where possible and implementing strict file type validation to prevent the upload of potentially malicious content. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability directly impacts security requirements for access control and data protection, potentially violating standards such as iso 27001 and pci dss. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK tactics including initial access through exploitation of vulnerabilities and privilege escalation through unauthorized file operations, while also relating to CWE categories such as CWE-22 for path traversal and CWE-73 for external control of file name or path. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify other potential vulnerabilities in their network access control systems and ensure that proper security controls are in place to prevent similar issues from occurring in other components of their infrastructure.