CVE-2013-3407 in Server Provisioner
Summary
by MITRE
The web interface in Cisco Server Provisioner 6.4.0 Patch 5-1301292331 and earlier does not require authentication for unspecified pages, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a direct request, aka Bug ID CSCug65664.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-3407 affects Cisco Server Provisioner version 6.4.0 Patch 5-1301292331 and earlier releases, representing a critical authentication bypass flaw within the web interface component. This issue stems from insufficient access control mechanisms that fail to properly validate user credentials before granting access to sensitive operational pages. The vulnerability specifically impacts unspecified administrative and configuration interfaces that should require proper authentication but instead permit unauthenticated access through direct web requests. Security researchers have documented this as a significant weakness in the platform's security architecture, where the absence of mandatory authentication checks creates an attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to gain unauthorized access to sensitive system information.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the web application's access control model, where the authentication framework fails to enforce proper authorization checks for certain pages within the server provisioning interface. This weakness allows remote attackers to directly access administrative functions without providing valid credentials, potentially exposing sensitive configuration data, system parameters, and operational details. The vulnerability operates through a straightforward exploitation vector where an attacker can simply construct a direct HTTP request to specific endpoints within the web interface, bypassing the normal authentication flow that should be required for accessing these privileged pages. This type of flaw typically falls under the category of weak authentication mechanisms and improper access control implementations that are commonly categorized under CWE-287, which addresses authentication bypass vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as unauthorized access to the server provisioning interface can enable attackers to manipulate system configurations, access sensitive operational data, and potentially escalate their privileges within the affected environment. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gather intelligence about the server infrastructure, access system logs, modify provisioning parameters, or gain deeper insights into the organization's server deployment strategies. The remote nature of this attack vector means that threat actors do not require physical access to the system or network presence to exploit this weakness, making it particularly dangerous in environments where the server provisioning interface is accessible from external networks. This vulnerability directly contradicts the principle of least privilege and proper access control enforcement that should be implemented in enterprise server management systems.
Organizations utilizing affected Cisco Server Provisioner versions should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches released by Cisco, implementing network segmentation to restrict access to the provisioning interface, and configuring proper firewall rules to limit external access to these administrative endpoints. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and proper configuration management practices to prevent similar authentication bypass issues in other system components. From an att&ck framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access and privilege escalation, where attackers can leverage the lack of proper authentication to gain unauthorized access to administrative functions. Additionally, the issue underscores the need for comprehensive input validation and proper access control implementation across all web interfaces, as recommended by security standards such as the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks, which emphasize the critical importance of authentication controls in preventing unauthorized system access and maintaining overall security posture.