CVE-2007-2041 in 2100 Wireless LAN Controller
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) before 4.0.206.0 saves the WLAN ACL configuration with an invalid checksum, which prevents WLAN ACLs from being loaded at boot time, and might allow remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions, aka Bug ID CSCse58195.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/18/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2041 affects Cisco Wireless LAN Controller versions prior to 4.0.206.0, representing a critical flaw in the wireless network infrastructure that impacts the integrity and availability of access control mechanisms. This issue manifests when the Wireless LAN Controller saves WLAN Access Control List (ACL) configurations with an invalid checksum, creating a fundamental failure in the system's ability to properly load these security policies during the boot process. The flaw directly undermines the controller's capacity to enforce network access restrictions, potentially allowing unauthorized network access and compromising the security posture of wireless networks managed by these devices.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from a checksum validation error within the WLAN ACL configuration storage mechanism of the Cisco WLC. When the system processes and saves ACL configurations, it fails to generate or validate the checksum properly, resulting in corrupted configuration data that cannot be successfully loaded during system startup. This error occurs at the configuration persistence layer, where the controller's software fails to maintain data integrity during the save operation. The invalid checksum essentially acts as a corruption indicator that prevents the system from recognizing valid ACL configurations, leading to incomplete or failed security policy loading.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration failures, as it creates a potential security bypass scenario that could allow remote attackers to circumvent intended access controls. When ACLs fail to load properly at boot time, the wireless network may operate with default or reduced security policies, potentially enabling unauthorized access to network resources. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on strict access control policies for their wireless infrastructure, as the failure to properly load ACL configurations could expose sensitive network segments to unauthorized users. The remote attack vector means that malicious actors could potentially exploit this condition without physical access to the network equipment.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through the deployment of Cisco's official software updates, specifically targeting version 4.0.206.0 or later, which addresses the checksum validation error in the WLAN ACL configuration handling. Network administrators should conduct thorough inventory assessments to identify all affected WLC devices and implement patch management procedures to ensure complete remediation across the wireless infrastructure. Additionally, implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous access patterns or configuration changes may help identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-1004, which addresses the weakness of inadequate checksum validation in data storage and retrieval operations, and represents a significant concern under ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting, as it potentially enables unauthorized network access through bypassed access controls.