CVE-2014-0747 in Unified Communications Manager
Summary
by MITRE
The Certificate Authority Proxy Function (CAPF) CLI implementation in Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Unified CM) 10.0(1) and earlier allows local users to inject commands via unspecified CAPF programs, aka Bug ID CSCum95493.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0747 resides within the Certificate Authority Proxy Function (CAPF) Command Line Interface implementation of Cisco Unified Communications Manager version 10.0(1) and earlier releases. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that enables local attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system through unspecified CAPF programs. The vulnerability specifically impacts the certificate management functionality of Cisco Unified CM, which serves as a core component in enterprise communications infrastructure. The CAPF module is responsible for handling certificate-related operations within the unified communications environment, making it a potentially attractive target for malicious actors seeking to compromise the underlying communication platform.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and command injection mechanisms within the CAPF CLI implementation. Local users can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious inputs that bypass normal validation procedures and inject unauthorized commands into the CAPF programs. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-77 which describes Command Injection flaws where untrusted data is incorporated into system commands without proper sanitization. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires only local access to the system, meaning an attacker who has already gained user-level privileges can escalate their capabilities significantly. The unspecified nature of the CAPF programs in the attack vector suggests that multiple internal components may be vulnerable to this injection technique, potentially affecting various certificate management functions including certificate requests, renewals, and revocations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can compromise the entire certificate infrastructure within the Cisco Unified Communications Manager environment. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to manipulate certificate authorities, generate fraudulent certificates, or disrupt the integrity of the communication system. This compromise directly affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the unified communications platform, potentially leading to man-in-the-middle attacks, unauthorized access to sensitive communications, or complete service disruption. The vulnerability affects organizations relying on Cisco Unified CM for their voice and video communication infrastructure, which typically includes large enterprises, government agencies, and service providers where communication security is paramount. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 which covers Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically targeting local command execution capabilities that can be leveraged for further system compromise.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Cisco security patches and updates that address this specific vulnerability. The recommended approach involves upgrading to Cisco Unified Communications Manager version 10.0(1) or later, which contains fixes for the CAPF command injection flaw. System administrators should also consider implementing additional access controls and monitoring mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and least privilege access principles should be enforced to limit local user access to the affected system components. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and secure coding practices in enterprise communication platforms, particularly in modules handling cryptographic operations and certificate management. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of their unified communications infrastructure and ensure proper patch management processes are in place to address future security issues effectively.