CVE-2007-2033 in Wireless Control System
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS) before 4.0.81.0 allows remote authenticated users to read any configuration page by changing the group membership of user accounts, aka Bug ID CSCse78596.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/17/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2033 represents a critical access control flaw within Cisco Wireless Control System version 4.0.81.0 and earlier releases. This issue affects the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the wireless network management platform, which serves as a central hub for configuring and managing wireless access points and network policies. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user permissions and group membership assignments within the system's access control framework.
The technical flaw manifests when authenticated users manipulate their group membership settings to gain unauthorized access to configuration pages that should be restricted to specific administrative roles. This allows attackers to bypass normal access controls by simply modifying their account attributes to belong to privileged groups without proper authorization. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages weaknesses in the user privilege management system, enabling lateral movement within the network management infrastructure. This type of flaw aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems, and specifically relates to the improper enforcement of access control mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables remote authenticated attackers to access sensitive network configuration data, potentially leading to complete compromise of wireless network infrastructure. Attackers can view, modify, or delete critical network policies, access wireless device configurations, and potentially escalate privileges to gain full administrative control over the wireless network. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of network management operations, as unauthorized users can access privileged information without proper authorization. This weakness creates an attack surface that can be exploited by both internal and external threat actors who have gained initial access to the system through other means.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper access control measures and privilege management within the Cisco Wireless Control System. Organizations should immediately upgrade to Cisco WCS version 4.0.81.0 or later, which includes patches addressing this vulnerability. Additional security controls should include regular monitoring of user account changes, implementation of role-based access controls with least privilege principles, and enforcement of strict audit trails for configuration changes. Network segmentation and multi-factor authentication should be implemented to reduce the impact of potential credential compromise. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper access control implementation and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security controls beyond simple authentication mechanisms.