CVE-2012-4084 in Unified Computing System
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the web-management interface in the fabric interconnect (FI) component in Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of arbitrary users, aka Bug ID CSCtg20755.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/21/2018
The CVE-2012-4084 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the web-management interface of Cisco Unified Computing System fabric interconnect components. This vulnerability resides in the administrative web interface that governs the fabric interconnect's configuration and management functions. The fabric interconnect serves as a crucial component in Cisco UCS environments, managing network connectivity and fabric control for server blades and associated infrastructure. The vulnerability specifically affects the authentication mechanisms within this web-based management interface, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's security controls.
The technical flaw manifests through the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms in the fabric interconnect's web management interface. When users authenticate to the web interface, the system fails to implement adequate anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms that would prevent unauthorized requests from being executed on behalf of authenticated users. This weakness allows remote attackers to craft malicious requests that, when executed by a victim user's browser, would be processed as legitimate administrative commands. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the web-based administrative interface that typically requires authentication for access to sensitive configuration functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching within Cisco UCS environments. An attacker who successfully exploits this CSRF vulnerability can hijack the authentication of arbitrary users who are logged into the fabric interconnect management interface. This enables the attacker to perform administrative actions such as modifying network configurations, changing user permissions, accessing sensitive data, or potentially disrupting the entire fabric interconnect's operation. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows remote exploitation without requiring authentication credentials, as the attack leverages existing authenticated sessions. This creates a significant risk for organizations relying on Cisco UCS for their data center infrastructure, as unauthorized modifications to fabric interconnect settings can compromise network security and availability.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Cisco security patches and updates that address the CSRF implementation flaws in the fabric interconnect web interface. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit direct access to the fabric interconnect management interfaces. The implementation of additional authentication layers and monitoring of administrative activities can help detect unauthorized access attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and initial access through web application attacks, potentially enabling adversaries to establish persistent access to critical infrastructure components. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of implementing proper input validation and anti-CSRF token mechanisms in web-based management interfaces, particularly those handling sensitive administrative functions within enterprise infrastructure systems.