CVE-2012-6392 in Prime LAN Management Solution
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Prime LAN Management Solution (LMS) 4.1 through 4.2.2 on Linux does not properly validate authentication and authorization requests in TCP sessions, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a crafted session, aka Bug ID CSCuc79779.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-6392 affects Cisco Prime LAN Management Solution versions 4.1 through 4.2.2 running on Linux operating systems. This critical security flaw resides within the authentication and authorization validation mechanisms of the TCP session handling process, creating a significant vector for remote code execution attacks. The vulnerability specifically impacts the software's ability to properly validate session requests, allowing malicious actors to craft specially designed session communications that bypass legitimate authentication checks.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the TCP session processing pipeline of the Cisco Prime LMS application. When legitimate users establish TCP sessions with the management solution, the system should verify the authenticity and authorization status of each session request through robust validation mechanisms. However, the flawed implementation fails to adequately validate session parameters, particularly those related to authentication tokens and user permissions. This weakness enables attackers to manipulate session data in transit, crafting malicious session requests that appear legitimate to the system's validation routines while actually containing commands designed to execute arbitrary code on the target system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with complete control over the affected Cisco Prime LMS servers. Remote attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the application process, potentially leading to full system compromise. The implications are particularly severe for network management environments where Cisco Prime LMS serves as a central management platform, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain administrative control over network infrastructure, modify configurations, access sensitive network data, or establish persistent backdoors within the organization's network management ecosystem.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Cisco security patches and updates released to address the authentication validation flaw. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit exposure of the affected systems to untrusted networks. Monitoring for suspicious TCP session activity and anomalous command execution patterns should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues, and maps to ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and remote code execution through network services. Security teams should also consider implementing additional layers of protection including network intrusion detection systems and regular vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in their network management infrastructure.