CVE-2014-0724 in Unified Communications Manager
Summary
by MITRE
The bulk administration interface in Cisco Unified Communications Manager (UCM) 10.0(1) and earlier allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and read arbitrary files by using an unspecified prompt, aka Bug ID CSCum05340.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/30/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0724 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw within Cisco Unified Communications Manager's bulk administration interface. This issue affects Cisco UCM versions 10.0(1) and earlier, where remote attackers can exploit an unspecified prompt mechanism to gain unauthorized access to the system. The vulnerability specifically targets the administrative functions that should require proper authentication credentials, yet allows malicious actors to circumvent these security controls through a flaw in the interface's validation logic.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and authentication checks within the bulk administration component of Cisco UCM. When users interact with the bulk administration interface, the system should enforce strict authentication requirements before permitting access to sensitive administrative functions. However, the flaw allows attackers to manipulate the interface through an unspecified prompt sequence that bypasses these authentication mechanisms entirely. This weakness enables unauthorized users to execute arbitrary file read operations without proper authorization, potentially exposing sensitive system information, configuration data, and administrative credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it creates a pathway for attackers to escalate privileges and potentially compromise the entire communications infrastructure. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to read arbitrary files from the system, which may include sensitive configuration files, user credentials, system logs, and other confidential data. The bulk administration interface typically handles critical operations such as user management, system configuration updates, and batch processing tasks, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations relying on Cisco UCM for their communication infrastructure. The ability to bypass authentication remotely without requiring physical access or prior credentials significantly increases the attack surface and reduces the overall security posture of affected systems.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Cisco UCM versions that contain the necessary security patches and fixes for this vulnerability. The Cisco Security Advisory for this issue provides specific guidance on the affected versions and recommended remediation steps. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit exposure of the bulk administration interface to trusted networks only. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual file access patterns and unauthorized administrative activities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and represents a significant concern for organizations operating in regulated environments where compliance with security standards such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 requires robust authentication controls. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation and credential access techniques, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security measures including regular vulnerability assessments, patch management programs, and network monitoring to prevent exploitation of such authentication bypass vulnerabilities.