CVE-2012-3063 in Application Control Engine
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Application Control Engine (ACE) before A4(2.3) and A5 before A5(1.1), when multicontext mode is enabled, does not properly share a management IP address among multiple contexts, which allows remote authenticated administrators to bypass intended access restrictions in opportunistic circumstances, and read or modify configuration settings, via a login attempt to a context, aka Bug ID CSCts30631, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-3058.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-3063 affects Cisco Application Control Engine (ACE) appliances operating in multicontext mode, specifically versions prior to A4(2.3) and A5(1.1). This issue represents a critical flaw in the management interface design that undermines the fundamental security boundaries between isolated contexts within the same appliance. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of management IP address sharing mechanisms, creating a scenario where administrative access controls can be circumvented through opportunistic exploitation attempts.
The technical flaw manifests when multiple contexts are configured within the same ACE appliance and multicontext mode is enabled. Under normal circumstances, each context should maintain its own isolated administrative domain with distinct access controls and configuration boundaries. However, the implementation fails to properly enforce these isolation mechanisms when management IP addresses are shared across contexts. This misconfiguration allows an authenticated administrator from one context to potentially access or manipulate configuration settings of other contexts through carefully crafted login attempts, effectively breaking the intended security model that separates administrative domains.
This vulnerability operates at the intersection of multiple security domains and presents significant operational risks for organizations relying on Cisco ACE appliances for application delivery and load balancing. The ability to bypass access restrictions means that a compromised account within one context could potentially escalate privileges to access other contexts, leading to unauthorized configuration changes, data exposure, or complete system compromise. The opportunistic nature of this vulnerability suggests that the exploitation requires specific conditions and timing, but once triggered, it can provide unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple access control bypass to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks within the network infrastructure. An attacker who successfully exploits this issue could modify critical load balancing configurations, redirect traffic flows, or manipulate application delivery policies across multiple contexts. This represents a significant concern for enterprise environments where multiple business units or departments might be isolated within separate contexts on the same appliance. The vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can lead to complete compromise of the application delivery infrastructure.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to affected Cisco ACE appliances to versions A4(2.3) or A5(1.1) where the vulnerability has been addressed. Network segmentation and access control policies should be reviewed to limit administrative access to ACE appliances, ensuring that only authorized personnel can perform administrative functions. Monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual login patterns or configuration changes that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and privilege escalation. Additionally, this vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with privilege escalation attacks and improper privilege management, making it a critical concern for security operations teams managing application delivery infrastructure.