CVE-2014-8023 in ASA
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software 9.2(.3) and earlier, when challenge-response authentication is used, does not properly select tunnel groups, which allows remote authenticated users to bypass intended resource-access restrictions via a crafted tunnel-group parameter, aka Bug ID CSCtz48533.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/10/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-8023 affects Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software versions 9.2.3 and earlier, specifically when challenge-response authentication mechanisms are implemented. This flaw represents a critical authorization bypass issue that undermines the security controls designed to restrict access to network resources. The vulnerability manifests when the ASA device fails to properly validate or select tunnel groups during the authentication process, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to circumvent access controls and gain unauthorized access to restricted resources.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of tunnel-group parameters within the ASA's authentication framework. When challenge-response authentication is employed, the system should rigorously validate the tunnel group selection to ensure that users are only granted access to resources they are authorized to reach. However, the flaw allows attackers to manipulate the tunnel-group parameter in their authentication requests, enabling them to select tunnel groups that should otherwise be inaccessible to their authenticated sessions. This improper parameter validation creates a condition where the system accepts crafted tunnel-group values without proper authorization checks, effectively allowing privilege escalation within the network access control system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity of the ASA's access control mechanisms. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can bypass the intended resource-access restrictions and potentially gain access to sensitive network segments, internal resources, or confidential data that should be protected by the ASA's access control policies. This could lead to data breaches, lateral movement within the network, and compromise of critical infrastructure components that rely on ASA for perimeter security. The vulnerability affects the core authentication and authorization functions of the ASA, potentially impacting organizations that depend on these devices for network security.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Cisco, which address the tunnel-group parameter validation issue in the ASA software. Network administrators should also review and harden their authentication configurations to minimize the attack surface, ensuring that challenge-response authentication is properly configured with appropriate access controls. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and monitoring for unusual tunnel-group parameter usage can help detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in authentication systems, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting, as attackers may leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to network resources through manipulated authentication parameters.