CVE-2013-4869 in Unified Communications Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) 7.1(x) through 9.1(2) and the IM & Presence Service in Cisco Unified Presence Server through 9.1(2) use the same CTI and database-encryption key across different customers installations, which makes it easier for context-dependent attackers to defeat cryptographic protection mechanisms by leveraging knowledge of this key, aka Bug IDs CSCsc69187 and CSCui01756. NOTE: the vendor has provided a statement that the "hard-coded static encryption key is considered a hardening issue rather than a vulnerability, and as such, has a CVSS score of 0/0."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/22/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-4869 represents a critical cryptographic weakness in Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) and Cisco Unified Presence Server implementations. This issue affects versions 7.1(x) through 9.1(2) of CUCM and the IM & Presence Service in Cisco Unified Presence Server through 9.1(2), where the same static encryption key is deployed across multiple customer installations. The flaw stems from a design decision that uses hard-coded cryptographic keys rather than implementing unique key generation per installation, creating a significant security risk that undermines the fundamental principles of cryptographic protection.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the use of a shared encryption key across different customer environments, which violates established security practices for cryptographic key management. This approach creates a scenario where an attacker who gains knowledge of this single key can potentially decrypt communications, manipulate database contents, or compromise the integrity of multiple customer installations simultaneously. The vulnerability specifically affects the CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) protocols and database encryption mechanisms that protect sensitive communication data within the unified communications infrastructure. This weakness enables context-dependent attackers to exploit the predictable nature of the encryption keys, making it significantly easier to bypass cryptographic protections that should normally isolate different customer environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it fundamentally compromises the security boundaries that separate customer data within a shared infrastructure. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform cross-tenant data access, potentially accessing communications, user presence information, and database contents from multiple organizations using the same encryption key. This creates a severe risk for enterprise communications environments where customer isolation is critical for maintaining privacy and compliance requirements. The vulnerability essentially eliminates the cryptographic protection that should prevent unauthorized access to sensitive communication data, making it possible for attackers to perform reconnaissance and data exfiltration across multiple customer installations. The implications are particularly severe for organizations that rely on unified communications platforms for sensitive business communications, as this weakness undermines the confidentiality and integrity guarantees that these systems are designed to provide.
The security community has classified this issue under CWE-327, which addresses the use of weak cryptography, and it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001 for unsecured credentials and T1552.006 for data manipulation. Organizations should implement compensating controls including network segmentation, monitoring for unusual database access patterns, and regular security assessments to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vendor's statement regarding a CVSS score of 0/0 reflects their assessment that this represents a hardening issue rather than a direct vulnerability, but security professionals recognize this as a significant configuration weakness that requires immediate attention. Mitigation strategies include implementing additional network controls, monitoring for unauthorized access attempts, and considering the deployment of alternative encryption solutions that provide unique key generation per installation. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive audits of their unified communications infrastructure to identify all affected systems and implement appropriate security controls to prevent exploitation of this cryptographic weakness.