CVE-2012-4092 in Unified Computing System
Summary
by MITRE
The management interface in the Central Software component in Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) does not properly validate the identity of vCenter consoles, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to read or modify an inter-device data stream by spoofing an identity, aka Bug ID CSCtk00683.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/01/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4092 resides within the Central Software component of Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) management interface, specifically targeting the authentication and identity validation mechanisms for vCenter console connections. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that undermines the integrity of inter-device communications within Cisco UCS environments. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of vCenter console identities, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's trust model and establish unauthorized connections. The issue manifests when the system fails to properly authenticate the legitimacy of vCenter console sessions, allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate components within the network infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability enables man-in-the-middle attacks by exploiting the lack of robust identity verification processes in the UCS management interface. Attackers can leverage this weakness to intercept and manipulate data streams between devices within the Cisco UCS ecosystem, particularly targeting the communication channels that facilitate vCenter console operations. The vulnerability specifically affects the authentication handshake process where the system should validate the identity of connecting vCenter consoles but instead accepts spoofed identities without proper verification. This authentication bypass allows adversaries to establish connections that appear legitimate to the UCS management system while actually being controlled by unauthorized parties. The flaw operates at the network protocol level where identity assertions are accepted without sufficient cryptographic verification or certificate validation mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-4092 extends beyond simple data interception to encompass complete compromise of the UCS management infrastructure. Successful exploitation enables attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive configuration data, monitor system communications, and potentially modify device settings or deployment parameters. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on Cisco UCS for data center virtualization and management, where the compromised system could serve as a foothold for broader network infiltration. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access points within the data center environment, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to critical infrastructure resources. The implications are particularly severe in enterprise environments where UCS systems manage large-scale virtualized infrastructures and critical business applications.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including enabling strong authentication mechanisms, deploying network segmentation to isolate management interfaces, and implementing cryptographic verification protocols for all inter-device communications. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 related to credential harvesting and manipulation. Network administrators should configure explicit certificate validation requirements for vCenter console connections and establish monitoring protocols to detect anomalous authentication patterns. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify potential exploitation attempts, while system updates and patches should be applied promptly to address the underlying authentication flaws. The recommended approach involves implementing multi-factor authentication mechanisms and establishing strict access controls for management interfaces to prevent unauthorized identity spoofing and maintain the integrity of inter-device communications within Cisco UCS environments.