CVE-2007-1068 in Trust Agent
Summary
by MITRE
The (1) TTLS CHAP, (2) TTLS MSCHAP, (3) TTLS MSCHAPv2, (4) TTLS PAP, (5) MD5, (6) GTC, (7) LEAP, (8) PEAP MSCHAPv2, (9) PEAP GTC, and (10) FAST authentication methods in 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 store transmitted authentication credentials in plaintext log files, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information by reading these files, aka CSCsg34423.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/16/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-1068 represents a critical security flaw in Cisco's authentication infrastructure where multiple authentication methods store sensitive credentials in plaintext within log files. This issue affects a broad range of Cisco security products including the Cisco Secure Services Client versions 4.x, Trust Agent versions 1.x and 2.x, Cisco Security Agent versions 5.0 and 5.1, and the Meetinghouse AEGIS SecureConnect Client. The flaw specifically impacts ten distinct authentication protocols including TTLS CHAP, TTLS MSCHAP, TTLS MSCHAPv2, TTLS PAP, MD5, GTC, LEAP, PEAP MSCHAPv2, PEAP GTC, and FAST authentication methods. This vulnerability falls under CWE-312, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information through improper data handling, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1567.002 for credential access through process injection and file system access. The plaintext storage of authentication credentials creates an inherent risk that directly violates security best practices and industry standards such as those outlined in NIST SP 800-53 and ISO/IEC 27001.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the insecure logging mechanisms within Cisco's security clients where authentication data is written to log files without proper encryption or obfuscation. When users authenticate through any of the affected protocols, their credentials including usernames, passwords, and challenge-response pairs are persisted in clear text within the system logs. This design flaw allows any local user with read access to the log files to extract sensitive authentication information directly from the filesystem. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects multiple authentication methods simultaneously, amplifying the potential attack surface and impact. The plaintext exposure occurs at the application level where the security clients fail to implement proper credential sanitization or encryption mechanisms before logging sensitive data, creating a persistent security weakness that can be exploited by both malicious insiders and external attackers who gain local access to the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with immediate access to authentication credentials that can be used for privilege escalation, lateral movement, and persistent access within the network infrastructure. Local users who can read the log files gain the ability to reconstruct authentication sessions and extract credentials for multiple protocols, effectively bypassing the security mechanisms that these authentication methods were designed to provide. The vulnerability undermines the fundamental security assumptions of the affected products by creating a clear path for credential theft through simple file system access. This weakness can be exploited in various attack scenarios including credential harvesting, where attackers collect multiple authentication credentials from different sessions, or in targeted attacks where specific user credentials are extracted for unauthorized access. The impact extends beyond individual systems to potentially compromise entire network segments if the affected clients are deployed across multiple devices and locations. The vulnerability also creates a persistent threat vector as the log files remain accessible until manually cleared or rotated, providing attackers with ongoing access to sensitive information.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of multiple layers of security controls to address both the immediate exposure and prevent future occurrences. The primary recommendation involves implementing proper file system access controls to restrict read permissions on log files containing authentication data, ensuring that only authorized system processes can access these sensitive files. Organizations should also implement log rotation and secure deletion mechanisms to prevent accumulation of sensitive data over time. The affected Cisco products require immediate patching or upgrade to versions that address the plaintext logging vulnerability, with administrators monitoring for updates from Cisco that specifically address this CWE-312 exposure. Additional controls include implementing network segmentation to limit local access to affected systems, deploying host-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for unauthorized access to log files, and establishing regular security audits to identify and remediate similar plaintext storage vulnerabilities. Security teams should also consider implementing credential monitoring systems that can detect and alert on credential access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, while ensuring that all authentication methods properly implement secure logging practices that align with industry standards and security frameworks such as those recommended in NIST SP 800-53 and the ISO/IEC 27001 information security management standards.