CVE-2010-0572 in Digital Media Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Digital Media Manager (DMM) before 5.2 allows remote authenticated users to discover Cisco Digital Media Player credentials via vectors related to reading a (1) error log or (2) stack trace, aka Bug ID CSCtc46050.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2026
Cisco Digital Media Manager version 5.1 and earlier contains a critical information disclosure vulnerability that affects the security posture of digital media environments. This vulnerability resides in the error handling mechanisms of the DMM system and allows authenticated remote attackers to extract sensitive credential information from the Cisco Digital Media Player components. The flaw manifests through two distinct attack vectors that leverage the system's logging and error reporting functionality to expose confidential authentication data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and improper error message handling within the DMM software architecture. When the system encounters errors during player initialization or operation, it generates error logs and stack traces that contain sensitive credential information in an unencrypted format. Attackers can exploit this weakness by authenticating to the DMM system and then triggering specific error conditions that cause the system to output detailed error information including player credentials. This represents a classic case of improper error handling that violates security best practices and creates an information disclosure scenario.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential exposure, as it provides attackers with the means to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to digital media infrastructure. Once credentials are obtained through this method, attackers can potentially compromise the entire digital media ecosystem managed by the DMM system. The vulnerability affects organizations that deploy Cisco Digital Media Manager for content distribution and player management, creating risks for media companies, broadcasters, and enterprises that rely on centralized digital media control systems. The exposure of player credentials can lead to unauthorized content manipulation, service disruption, and potential data breaches within the affected networks.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-209, which addresses "Information Exposure Through an Error Message," and CWE-312, which covers "Sensitive Data in Memory." The attack pattern corresponds to techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1083 for discovering system information and T1566 for credential access. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Cisco Digital Media Manager version 5.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this information disclosure issue. Additionally, network segmentation, access control restrictions, and monitoring of error log files can help reduce the attack surface and detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper error handling and information sanitization in enterprise security systems, particularly in environments where sensitive operational data is processed and managed.