CVE-2013-3379 in TelePresence TC Software
Summary
by MITRE
The firewall subsystem in Cisco TelePresence TC Software before 4.2 does not properly implement rules that grant access to hosts, which allows remote attackers to obtain shell access with root privileges by leveraging connectivity to the management network, aka Bug ID CSCts37781.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/03/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-3379 represents a critical security flaw within the firewall subsystem of Cisco TelePresence TC Software versions prior to 4.2. This issue stems from improper implementation of access control rules that govern host connectivity, creating a pathway for remote attackers to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized shell access with root-level permissions. The vulnerability specifically affects the management network connectivity aspects of the TelePresence system, which serves as a critical control interface for device administration and configuration.
The technical implementation flaw resides in how the firewall subsystem handles access control lists and network rule enforcement. When the system processes incoming connections on the management network interface, it fails to properly validate or enforce the intended access restrictions that should prevent unauthorized remote access. This misconfiguration allows attackers to bypass the intended security boundaries and establish shell sessions with elevated privileges. The vulnerability operates at the network protocol level where the system's firewall logic fails to properly filter or authenticate incoming management connections, creating a direct pathway for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching within enterprise environments that utilize Cisco TelePresence systems. Remote attackers who can reach the management network interface can exploit this weakness to gain complete administrative control over the affected devices, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system compromise, disruption of video conferencing services, and lateral movement within the network. The root privilege escalation capability means that attackers can modify system configurations, install malicious software, access sensitive communications, and potentially use the compromised device as a pivot point for attacking other network resources. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and undermines the fundamental security architecture of the TelePresence management interface.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate deployment of Cisco's security patches and software updates to version 4.2 or later, which contain the corrected firewall rule implementations. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to isolate management interfaces from public networks and restrict access to the management network through additional firewall rules and access control lists. The implementation of network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous management network traffic and regular security audits of TelePresence systems are recommended practices. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and maps to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and remote access trojan deployment. Organizations should also consider implementing network access control policies that limit management interface connectivity to trusted administrative workstations only, reducing the attack surface and minimizing potential exploitation opportunities.