CVE-2011-0348 in IOS
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco IOS 12.4(11)MD, 12.4(15)MD, 12.4(22)MD, 12.4(24)MD before 12.4(24)MD3, 12.4(22)MDA before 12.4(22)MDA5, and 12.4(24)MDA before 12.4(24)MDA3 on the Cisco Content Services Gateway Second Generation (aka CSG2) allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions and intended billing restrictions by sending HTTP traffic to a restricted destination after sending HTTP traffic to an unrestricted destination, aka Bug ID CSCtk35917.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2011-0348 represents a significant access control flaw within Cisco IOS software versions running on the Content Services Gateway Second Generation platform. This issue affects multiple release branches including 12.4(11)MD, 12.4(15)MD, 12.4(22)MD, and 12.4(24)MD, along with their respective MD and MDA variants. The flaw manifests as a bypass of intended access restrictions and billing restrictions, creating a potential security loophole that could allow unauthorized access to restricted network resources. This vulnerability specifically impacts the CSG2 platform, which serves as a content delivery and caching solution that typically operates as a gateway between network users and content servers.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves a flaw in the HTTP traffic processing logic within the affected IOS versions. Attackers can exploit this weakness by strategically sending HTTP requests to unrestricted destinations first, followed by requests to restricted destinations. This sequence manipulation allows the system to incorrectly process access control decisions, effectively bypassing the intended security controls that should prevent access to restricted content or services. The vulnerability stems from improper state management in the HTTP processing module, where the system fails to properly maintain access control context between sequential requests. This behavior is categorized under CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues, specifically focusing on insufficient access control mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to potentially compromise billing systems and content restriction policies. An attacker could exploit this weakness to gain access to premium content, restricted network resources, or services that should only be available to authorized users or specific billing tiers. The implications are particularly severe for content service providers who rely on these gateways for both access control and billing enforcement. The vulnerability essentially allows for a form of privilege escalation through protocol manipulation, where an attacker can effectively circumvent the intended access control policies that govern user permissions and service restrictions. This issue can be classified under ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting, as it enables unauthorized access to systems that should otherwise be protected by access control mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of software updates and patches provided by Cisco to address the specific access control flaw in the affected IOS versions. Organizations should prioritize applying the latest security patches, particularly those addressing the specific Bug ID CSCtk35917 mentioned in the vulnerability description. Network administrators should also implement additional monitoring and logging to detect anomalous HTTP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The configuration of proper access control lists and firewall rules can help minimize the impact if exploitation occurs, while regular security assessments should verify that access control mechanisms remain properly enforced. Additionally, network segmentation and the implementation of intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection against potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability.