CVE-2012-4072 in Unified Computing System
Summary
by MITRE
The KVM subsystem in Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) relies on a hardcoded X.509 certificate, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof SSL servers, and read keyboard and mouse events, by leveraging knowledge of this certificate s private key, aka Bug ID CSCte90327.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/07/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4072 represents a critical security flaw within the Kernel-based Virtual Machine subsystem of Cisco Unified Computing System implementations. This weakness stems from the use of a hardcoded X.509 certificate that is embedded within the system's software components, creating a predictable and exploitable cryptographic element that undermines the security of SSL communications between virtualized environments and management interfaces. The vulnerability specifically affects Cisco UCS systems where the KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) functionality is utilized for remote system administration and virtual machine management operations.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the inclusion of a static certificate and its corresponding private key within the system's firmware or software binaries, eliminating the dynamic generation of cryptographic material required for secure SSL/TLS communications. Attackers who obtain knowledge of this hardcoded private key can perform man-in-the-middle attacks against legitimate SSL connections, effectively decrypting communications and intercepting sensitive data transmitted through the KVM interface. This includes the ability to capture keyboard input and mouse movements, which provides attackers with direct access to user credentials, system commands, and other confidential information processed through the virtualized environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and confidentiality of virtualized computing environments managed through Cisco UCS systems. Security professionals should recognize this issue as a classic example of poor cryptographic key management practices and hardcoded secrets, which aligns with CWE-310, which addresses cryptographic weaknesses related to key management and the use of static cryptographic elements. The vulnerability enables attackers to gain unauthorized access to virtual machine console sessions, potentially leading to complete system compromise, privilege escalation, and unauthorized data access within the enterprise network infrastructure.
Organizations utilizing affected Cisco UCS systems should implement immediate mitigations including the replacement of hardcoded certificates with dynamically generated ones, regular cryptographic audits, and network monitoring for suspicious SSL/TLS traffic patterns. The vulnerability also relates to ATT&CK technique T1046, which covers network service scanning and T1566, which addresses credential access through network attacks. Cisco has issued patches and updates to address this issue, and system administrators should ensure all UCS components are updated to versions that eliminate the hardcoded certificate dependency and implement proper key management practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future deployments.