CVE-2010-3039 in Unified Communications Manager
Summary
by MITRE
/usr/local/cm/bin/pktCap_protectData in Cisco Unified Communications Manager (aka CUCM, formerly CallManager) 6, 7, and 8 allows remote authenticated administrators to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in a request to the administrative interface, aka Bug IDs CSCti52041 and CSCti74930.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-3039 represents a critical command injection flaw within Cisco Unified Communications Manager versions 6, 7, and 8. This vulnerability resides in the pktCap_protectData component located at /usr/local/cm/bin/ within the Cisco Unified Communications Manager administrative interface. The flaw specifically affects remote authenticated administrators who possess valid credentials to access the system's administrative functions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it allows attackers with legitimate administrative access to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary commands on the underlying system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the pktCap_protectData function. When administrative users submit requests containing shell metacharacters through the administrative interface, the system fails to properly sanitize these inputs before processing them. This lack of proper input sanitization creates an environment where maliciously crafted commands can be injected and executed with the privileges of the administrative account. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-77, which describes improper neutralization of special elements used in a command, and CWE-94, which addresses the execution of arbitrary code. The attack vector requires only that an attacker possess valid administrative credentials, making this particularly dangerous as it leverages legitimate access rights to perform malicious activities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple command execution, as it provides attackers with elevated privileges to manipulate the entire communications infrastructure. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute arbitrary code on the system, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or disruption of critical communications services. The administrative interface of Cisco Unified Communications Manager controls crucial system functions including call routing, user management, and system configuration. This makes the potential attack surface particularly valuable for adversaries seeking long-term access to enterprise communication networks. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter, and T1068, which covers local privilege escalation, as the attacker can leverage their administrative access to achieve further system compromise.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Cisco security patches and updates that address this specific command injection flaw. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit administrative access to only necessary personnel, reducing the attack surface for potential exploitation. Monitoring and logging of administrative activities should be enhanced to detect suspicious command execution patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of input validation and proper sanitization of user inputs in all system components, particularly those handling administrative functions. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their Cisco Unified Communications Manager installations to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across their infrastructure. Regular security updates and vulnerability management processes should be implemented to prevent future occurrences of such flaws in network management systems.