CVE-2014-3392 in ASA
Summary
by MITRE
The Clientless SSL VPN portal in Cisco ASA Software 8.2 before 8.2(5.51), 8.3 before 8.3(2.42), 8.4 before 8.4(7.23), 8.6 before 8.6(1.15), 9.0 before 9.0(4.24), 9.1 before 9.1(5.12), 9.2 before 9.2(2.8), and 9.3 before 9.3(1.1) allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information from process memory or modify memory contents via crafted parameters, aka Bug ID CSCuq29136.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/21/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-3392 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) software that affects multiple versions of the Clientless SSL VPN portal implementation. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and memory handling mechanisms within the affected software versions, creating a pathway for remote attackers to exploit the system through carefully crafted parameters sent to the SSL VPN portal. The vulnerability specifically targets the memory management subsystem of the ASA software, allowing adversaries to either extract sensitive data from process memory or modify memory contents directly, which fundamentally compromises the security posture of the affected systems.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through parameter manipulation within the Clientless SSL VPN portal functionality, where attackers can craft malicious inputs that trigger memory corruption behaviors. This flaw falls under the CWE-125 vulnerability category, which encompasses out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to information disclosure and potentially arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as the ability to modify memory contents creates opportunities for more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation and system compromise. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to access sensitive information such as administrative credentials, session tokens, or other confidential data stored in memory, while also potentially corrupting critical system processes.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to organizations relying on Cisco ASA appliances for remote access security. The remote exploitability means that attackers can target these systems from outside the network perimeter without requiring physical access or prior authentication. The affected versions span multiple major releases of Cisco ASA software, indicating a widespread exposure across enterprise environments that utilize SSL VPN functionality for remote worker access, partner connectivity, and secure remote management. Organizations using these vulnerable versions face potential data breaches, unauthorized access to internal networks, and complete compromise of their remote access infrastructure. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage, specifically targeting SSL/TLS protocols for malicious activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-3392 focus primarily on immediate software updates and patches provided by Cisco to address the memory handling flaws in the affected ASA versions. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to patched versions of Cisco ASA software that resolve the specific memory corruption issues within the Clientless SSL VPN portal. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit exposure of vulnerable systems to untrusted networks, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect suspicious parameter manipulation attempts. Additional defensive measures include disabling Clientless SSL VPN functionality when not required, implementing strict input validation at network boundaries, and conducting comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify other potential memory corruption vulnerabilities within the network infrastructure. The remediation process should also include thorough testing of patched software in controlled environments to ensure continued functionality while addressing the security concerns.