CVE-2012-4085 in Unified Computing System
Summary
by MITRE
The Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) implementation in the Blade Management Controller in Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) allows remote attackers to enumerate valid usernames by observing IPMI interface responses, aka Bug ID CSCtg20761.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/07/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-4085 represents a significant security flaw in the Cisco Unified Computing System's Blade Management Controller implementation. This issue specifically affects the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) protocol which is widely used for out-of-band system management and monitoring. The vulnerability stems from the improper handling of authentication requests within the IPMI interface, creating an information disclosure weakness that enables attackers to perform user enumeration attacks against the system.
The technical flaw manifests when remote attackers send crafted IPMI requests to the management controller, causing the system to respond differently based on whether the requested username exists in the system's user database. This differential response behavior allows adversaries to systematically test usernames and determine which accounts are valid within the target system. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200, Information Exposure, as it inadvertently reveals sensitive information about the system's user configuration through response variations. This type of information leakage is particularly dangerous as it provides attackers with a foundation for subsequent authentication attacks, including brute force attempts against valid accounts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates a pathway for more sophisticated attacks within the targeted environment. Security professionals should recognize that this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1087.001, Account Discovery, which involves identifying user accounts on a system or network. The ability to enumerate valid usernames significantly weakens the security posture of the Cisco UCS environment, as it reduces the entropy of potential attack vectors. Organizations utilizing this system may find their security controls compromised, particularly in environments where strong authentication practices are not properly implemented or where additional access controls are missing.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of network segmentation and access controls to restrict unauthorized access to the IPMI interface. Cisco has released patches and firmware updates specifically addressing this issue, which should be deployed as a priority. Additionally, organizations should implement network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous IPMI traffic patterns that might indicate enumeration attempts. The configuration of the management controller should be reviewed to ensure that unnecessary services are disabled and that access controls are properly enforced. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on suspicious authentication attempts that leverage information disclosure vulnerabilities such as this one.