CVE-2008-2062 in Unified Communications Manager
Summary
by MITRE
The Real-Time Information Server (RIS) Data Collector service in Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) before 4.2(3)SR4, and 4.3 before 4.3(2)SR1, allows remote attackers to bypass authentication, and obtain cluster configuration information and statistics, via a direct TCP connection to the service port, aka Bug ID CSCsq35151.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/12/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-2062 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw within Cisco Unified Communications Manager's Real-Time Information Server Data Collector service. This weakness affects specific versions of Cisco's unified communications platform, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on these systems for voice and collaboration services. The vulnerability exists in the RIS Data Collector service which is designed to provide real-time information about the cluster configuration and operational statistics of Cisco Unified Communications Manager environments.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves a direct TCP connection to a specific service port that exposes the Data Collector functionality without proper authentication mechanisms. Attackers can exploit this weakness by establishing a direct connection to the service port and gaining unauthorized access to sensitive cluster configuration information and operational statistics. This bypass occurs because the service fails to properly validate authentication credentials before granting access to the underlying data collection mechanisms. The vulnerability essentially allows unauthenticated remote access to information that should only be available to authorized administrators with proper credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with detailed insights into the internal structure and configuration of Cisco Unified Communications Manager clusters. This information can be used for further attacks, including planning more sophisticated exploitation techniques, identifying potential network topology weaknesses, and understanding the operational environment to conduct targeted attacks. The exposure of cluster configuration details and statistics creates a significant risk for organizations as it removes the layer of security that should protect sensitive operational information from unauthorized access.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying the relevant Cisco security patches and updates to bring their systems up to version 4.2(3)SR4 for the 4.2 release line and 4.3(2)SR1 for the 4.3 release line. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to restrict direct TCP connections to the affected service ports, and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized access attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege as defined in cybersecurity frameworks. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this as a credential access technique, specifically involving the exploitation of service vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to system information and configuration data.