CVE-2012-1348 in Wide Area Application Services
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Wide Area Application Services (WAAS) appliances with software 4.4, 5.0, and 5.1 include a one-way hash of a password within output text, which might allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a brute-force attack on the hash string, aka Bug ID CSCty17279.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2018
Cisco Wide Area Application Services appliances running software versions 4.4, 5.0, and 5.1 contain a security flaw where password hashes are inadvertently exposed in output text, creating a significant information disclosure vulnerability. This weakness allows remote attackers to extract one-way hash values from the system's output, potentially enabling brute-force attacks against these hashes to recover original passwords. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of authentication credentials within the appliance's response mechanisms, where cryptographic hashes are included in the clear text output instead of being properly secured or removed. The exposed hashes represent a critical security risk as they provide attackers with direct targets for offline password cracking attempts, particularly when the hashing algorithm used is weak or susceptible to rainbow table attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the WAAS appliance's authentication and response handling processes where password verification mechanisms inadvertently expose hash values in system output streams. This creates a scenario where attackers can capture these hash strings through network monitoring or by exploiting other access vectors, then subject them to brute-force or dictionary attacks to determine the original passwords. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which describes improper exposure of sensitive information, and represents a classic case of information disclosure through improper output formatting. The flaw is particularly concerning because it affects multiple versions of the WAAS software, indicating a systemic issue in the codebase rather than an isolated incident. The one-way hash exposure occurs in contexts where the system provides verbose output during authentication or administrative operations, making it accessible to unauthorized users who can intercept and analyze this information.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-1348 extends beyond simple credential theft, as compromised passwords can lead to full system compromise and unauthorized access to network resources. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can potentially escalate privileges, gain persistent access to the WAAS appliance, and use compromised credentials to attack other systems within the network perimeter. The exposure of password hashes creates a pathway for attackers to bypass network security controls and establish unauthorized access to critical infrastructure. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on WAAS appliances for application acceleration and optimization, as these devices often sit at network boundaries and may be accessible to external threat actors. The risk is compounded by the fact that the vulnerability affects multiple software versions, suggesting that organizations with legacy deployments may be particularly vulnerable.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate software updates to patched versions of the WAAS appliance software, as Cisco has likely released security advisories addressing this specific issue. Organizations should implement network monitoring to detect and block unauthorized access attempts to WAAS appliances, while also reviewing access controls and authentication mechanisms to reduce the attack surface. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of affected WAAS appliances within their network infrastructure, and consider implementing additional authentication layers such as multi-factor authentication to reduce risk. The remediation process should include disabling unnecessary services and ports on affected appliances, while also implementing network segmentation to limit access to these critical devices. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts, and consider implementing security information and event management systems to monitor for suspicious activity related to authentication and credential handling within their network infrastructure.