CVE-2014-0665 in Identity Services Engine Software
Summary
by MITRE
The RBAC implementation in Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) Software does not properly verify privileges for support-bundle downloads, which allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information via a download action, as demonstrated by obtaining read access to the user database, aka Bug ID CSCul83904.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0665 represents a critical access control flaw within Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) Software's Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) implementation. This weakness specifically affects the privilege verification mechanisms governing support-bundle download operations, creating a significant security gap that undermines the integrity of the system's access controls. The vulnerability exists in the authentication and authorization processes that should prevent unauthorized data access, particularly when users attempt to download system support bundles containing sensitive operational information. The flaw manifests in the software's inability to properly validate user privileges before permitting download actions, effectively allowing malicious actors with legitimate login credentials to bypass expected security boundaries.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control mechanisms in software systems. The flaw occurs within the RBAC framework where users authenticated to the ISE platform can exploit a privilege escalation path through support-bundle download functionality. Attackers can leverage this weakness to download support bundles that contain sensitive data including user database information, system configurations, and potentially other confidential operational details. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates through legitimate system functions, making detection more difficult while providing attackers with access to data that would normally be restricted to privileged administrators. This type of flaw represents a classic case of insufficient authorization checks that should have been enforced at the point of resource access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it provides attackers with potential access to user database information that could be used for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The ability to obtain read access to user databases creates opportunities for credential harvesting, social engineering attacks, and lateral movement within the network environment. Security teams face the challenge of identifying compromised systems and understanding what sensitive information may have been accessed through this vulnerability. The vulnerability affects organizations using Cisco ISE Software in enterprise environments where network access control is critical for maintaining security boundaries and protecting sensitive information assets. Organizations with extensive ISE deployments may find that this vulnerability could be exploited to gain access to multiple network segments or user accounts depending on the scope of the compromised system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-0665 should focus on immediate patch deployment and network segmentation to limit the potential impact of exploitation. Cisco released security advisories addressing this vulnerability, and organizations should implement the recommended software updates to resolve the privilege verification issues. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional monitoring for unusual support-bundle download activities and establish strict access controls around administrative functions. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper privilege separation and the need for comprehensive access control validation at all system interfaces. Organizations should review their existing RBAC configurations to ensure that similar privilege verification gaps do not exist in other components of their security infrastructure. This vulnerability also highlights the necessity of regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify potential access control weaknesses that could be exploited by malicious actors within authenticated network sessions. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, where attackers leverage legitimate system functionality to gain unauthorized access to sensitive resources.