CVE-2013-1139 in Cloud Portal
Summary
by MITRE
The nsAPI interface in Cisco Cloud Portal 9.1 SP1 and SP2, and 9.3 through 9.3.2, does not properly check privileges, which allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information via a crafted URL, aka Bug ID CSCud81134.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/25/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1139 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the nsAPI interface of Cisco Cloud Portal versions 9.1 SP1 and SP2, as well as 9.3 through 9.3.2. This issue stems from inadequate access control mechanisms that fail to properly validate user permissions before granting access to sensitive system resources. The vulnerability specifically affects the nsAPI component which serves as a critical interface for managing cloud portal operations and user access controls. Remote authenticated users can exploit this weakness by crafting specially designed URLs that bypass normal authorization checks, thereby gaining unauthorized access to confidential information that should only be accessible to privileged administrators or authorized personnel.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic insufficient authorization flaw, which aligns with CWE-285, where the system fails to properly verify that the authenticated user has adequate privileges to access specific resources. The nsAPI interface in Cisco Cloud Portal was designed to handle various administrative functions including user management, system configuration, and resource allocation, yet it lacks proper validation mechanisms to ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive endpoints. This weakness creates a pathway for attackers who are already authenticated to the system to escalate their privileges and access information they should not be permitted to view, including user credentials, system configurations, and potentially sensitive business data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it fundamentally compromises the security model of the Cisco Cloud Portal platform. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain access to privileged information that could be used for further attacks, including credential theft, system compromise, or unauthorized resource manipulation. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous as it can be executed from anywhere on the internet. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on Cisco Cloud Portal for their cloud infrastructure management, as it undermines the trust model that should protect sensitive administrative functions from unauthorized access. The impact is further compounded by the fact that the vulnerability exists across multiple versions of the software, indicating a systemic design flaw that was not properly addressed in the security architecture.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Cisco security patches and updates that address the privilege checking mechanisms in the nsAPI interface. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious URL access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of principle of least privilege should be reinforced, ensuring that even authenticated users have minimal necessary access rights to prevent lateral movement within the system. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their cloud portal configurations to identify any additional weaknesses that could be exploited in conjunction with this vulnerability. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and access control implementation in web application interfaces, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation techniques that leverage insecure API endpoints. The affected versions of Cisco Cloud Portal should be upgraded to patched releases that include proper authorization checks and validation mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive system information.