CVE-2012-5992 in 2100 Wireless LAN Controller
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities on Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) devices with software 7.2.110.0 allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that (1) add administrative accounts via screens/aaa/mgmtuser_create.html or (2) insert XSS sequences via the headline parameter to screens/base/web_auth_custom.html, aka Bug ID CSCud50283.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2024
The CVE-2012-5992 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in Cisco Wireless LAN Controller devices running software version 7.2.110.0. This vulnerability resides within the web-based administrative interface of the wireless controller, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on Cisco WLC infrastructure. The flaw specifically affects two distinct attack vectors that can be exploited by remote unauthenticated attackers to compromise administrative privileges and potentially execute malicious code within the network environment. The vulnerability impacts the authentication mechanisms of the device, allowing attackers to perform administrative actions without proper authorization, which constitutes a severe breach of the principle of least privilege in network security architecture.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms within the targeted web forms and endpoints. Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by crafting malicious web pages that automatically submit requests to the WLC administration interface, leveraging the victim's existing authenticated session. The first attack vector targets the screens/aaa/mgmtuser_create.html endpoint, where an attacker could create new administrative accounts with elevated privileges, effectively establishing persistent backdoor access to the wireless network infrastructure. The second vector focuses on the screens/base/web_auth_custom.html endpoint, specifically targeting the headline parameter which allows attackers to inject cross-site scripting payloads. This dual nature of the vulnerability demonstrates the comprehensive scope of the flaw, affecting both authentication and input validation mechanisms within the web interface. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery weaknesses in web applications, and represents a classic example of how insufficient session management and validation can lead to privilege escalation attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-5992 extends beyond simple unauthorized access, creating a pathway for attackers to establish persistent network footholds and potentially compromise the entire wireless infrastructure. Once an attacker successfully creates administrative accounts or injects XSS payloads, they can manipulate wireless network policies, monitor traffic, or redirect users to malicious sites, effectively undermining the security posture of the entire wireless network. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access or network proximity to the affected devices, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with distributed wireless deployments. This flaw significantly increases the attack surface for network administrators and can lead to data breaches, service disruption, and potential compliance violations. The impact is further compounded by the fact that the vulnerability affects the core administrative interface of the wireless controller, which typically requires elevated privileges to access, making successful exploitation particularly damaging to network security.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying Cisco's security patches and updates, which would address the CSRF token validation issues in the affected web interfaces. Network segmentation and access controls should be enhanced to limit access to the wireless controller administration interfaces to trusted networks only. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious administrative activity can help detect exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing proper input validation and session management controls as outlined in the ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation and persistence tactics. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their wireless infrastructure and implement network monitoring to detect unauthorized administrative access attempts, ensuring that the web-based management interfaces of critical network devices remain protected against similar CSRF attack vectors.