CVE-2006-3285 in Wireless Control System
Summary
by MITRE
The internal database in Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS) for Linux and Windows before 3.2(51) uses an undocumented, hard-coded username and password, which allows remote authenticated users to read, and possibly modify, sensitive configuration data (aka bugs CSCsd15955).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-3285 affects Cisco Wireless Control System versions prior to 3.2(51) running on both Linux and Windows platforms. This represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of the system's authentication mechanisms and exposes sensitive configuration data to unauthorized access. The issue stems from the implementation of an undocumented hard-coded credential within the internal database component of the wireless control system, creating a persistent security weakness that persists across different operating environments.
The technical flaw manifests through the use of a hard-coded username and password combination that is embedded within the software without proper documentation or disclosure to administrators. This hardcoded credential creates a backdoor access mechanism that bypasses normal authentication procedures and allows remote authenticated users to gain unauthorized access to sensitive configuration data. The vulnerability operates at the application level and affects the internal database operations of the WCS, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by attackers who have already established some level of network presence or authentication within the system.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations relying on Cisco Wireless Control System for their wireless network management. The ability to read and potentially modify sensitive configuration data exposes organizations to potential network compromise, unauthorized access to wireless infrastructure settings, and possible disruption of wireless services. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as attackers could manipulate wireless access points, modify security policies, or alter network configurations that could affect wireless connectivity and security posture. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-798, which addresses the use of hard-coded credentials, and represents a classic example of poor security implementation in enterprise networking software.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1566 which covers credential harvesting. Attackers could leverage this hard-coded credential to establish persistent access to the wireless control system, potentially using it as a foothold for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The remote nature of the attack means that even without direct physical access, authenticated users could exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive wireless network configurations. Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to Cisco WCS version 3.2(51) or later, which addresses this specific vulnerability through proper credential management and authentication mechanisms. Additional controls such as network segmentation, monitoring for unauthorized access attempts, and regular security assessments should also be implemented to reduce the risk of exploitation.