CVE-2013-5531 in Identity Services Engine Software
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) 1.x before 1.1.1 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication, and read support-bundle configuration and credentials data, via a crafted session on TCP port 443, aka Bug ID CSCty20405.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/14/2017
The Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5531 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw affecting versions 1.x prior to 1.1.1. This vulnerability resides within the ISE's handling of session management on the standard HTTPS port 443, creating a pathway for remote attackers to circumvent the authentication mechanisms that protect sensitive network access controls. The flaw specifically manifests when attackers establish a crafted session that exploits improper session validation logic, allowing unauthorized access to the system's core functionalities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and session handling within the ISE's web interface components. Attackers can manipulate session parameters through specially crafted requests to TCP port 443, effectively bypassing the authentication process that should normally validate user credentials before granting access to administrative functions. This weakness aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in network services, and represents a classic example of how session management flaws can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to privileged systems. The vulnerability particularly affects the ISE's support bundle functionality, which contains sensitive configuration data and credentials that should remain protected from unauthorized access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with the ability to read sensitive support-bundle configuration files that may contain network topology information, user credentials, and system configuration parameters. This exposure creates significant risk for organizations relying on ISE for network access control, as attackers can potentially escalate their privileges and gain access to the underlying network infrastructure. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform actions such as modifying access policies, extracting user authentication data, and potentially compromising the entire network access control framework. Organizations using ISE for critical network security functions face substantial risk from this flaw, as it undermines the fundamental security assumptions of the platform.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-5531 primarily focus on upgrading to Cisco ISE version 1.1.1 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the authentication bypass vulnerability. Network administrators should also implement additional protective measures including restricting access to TCP port 443 through firewall rules, implementing network segmentation to isolate ISE components, and monitoring for unusual session activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect critical network infrastructure components. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify anomalous traffic patterns associated with session manipulation attacks and ensure that all administrative access to ISE components occurs through secure channels with proper authentication mechanisms in place. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of secure session management and proper authentication controls in network security platforms, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting through network access control systems.