CVE-2007-1065 in Security Agent
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Secure Services Client (CSSC) 4.x, Trust Agent 1.x and 2.x, Cisco Security Agent (CSA) 5.0 and 5.1 (when a vulnerable Trust Agent has been deployed), and the Meetinghouse AEGIS SecureConnect Client allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges via unspecified vectors in the supplicant, aka CSCsf15836.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/16/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-1065 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw affecting multiple Cisco security products including the Cisco Secure Services Client version 4.x, Trust Agent versions 1.x and 2.x, Cisco Security Agent version 5.0 and 5.1, and the Meetinghouse AEGIS SecureConnect Client. This issue resides within the supplicant component of these security applications, which serves as the authentication client responsible for establishing secure connections and managing access controls. The vulnerability allows local users to escalate their privileges to SYSTEM level access, which constitutes a severe compromise of the system's security model. The unspecified vectors indicate that the exact technical mechanism remains undisclosed, but the impact is clearly severe as it enables arbitrary code execution with the highest possible privileges. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and undermines the fundamental security architecture of the affected systems.
The technical flaw manifests in the supplicant implementation where local users can exploit weaknesses in the privilege management system to elevate their access rights from standard user level to SYSTEM level privileges. This typically occurs through improper input validation, buffer overflows, or insecure privilege handling within the authentication process. The vulnerability affects the Trust Agent components which are responsible for maintaining security policies and enforcing access controls, making the compromise particularly dangerous as it allows attackers to bypass the security mechanisms designed to protect the system. The issue is particularly concerning because it affects multiple products in the Cisco security portfolio, indicating a systemic weakness in the underlying architecture rather than an isolated incident. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-269 which addresses improper privileges and CWE-787 which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are common vectors for privilege escalation attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple local privilege escalation as it provides attackers with complete system control capabilities. Once a local user achieves SYSTEM privileges, they can modify system files, install malicious software, create new user accounts, disable security features, and access all system resources without restriction. This represents a complete compromise of the system's integrity and confidentiality, allowing for persistent access and potential lateral movement within networks. The vulnerability affects enterprise environments where these Cisco security products are deployed, potentially enabling attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data and critical infrastructure. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires only local access to the system, making it accessible to anyone with physical or remote access to a vulnerable machine, including employees or contractors with legitimate access rights.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of all affected Cisco products including CSSC 4.x, Trust Agent 1.x and 2.x, and CSA 5.0 and 5.1 versions. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit local access privileges and reduce the attack surface available to potential attackers. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual privilege escalation activities and unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers privilege escalation through local exploits, and T1548 which addresses abuse of privilege escalation capabilities. Administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as mandatory access controls, privilege monitoring, and regular security assessments to detect and prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. The incident should trigger a comprehensive review of the organization's security posture and privilege management policies to prevent similar compromises in the future.