CVE-2015-0673 in Mobility Services Engine
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Mobility Services Engine (MSE) 8.0(110.0) allows remote authenticated users to discover the passwords of arbitrary users by (1) reading log files or (2) using an unspecified GUI feature, aka Bug ID CSCut24792.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2022
The Cisco Mobility Services Engine MSE 8.0(110.0) contains a critical information disclosure vulnerability that affects remote authenticated users with potentially severe operational consequences. This vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls and improper handling of sensitive data within the system's logging mechanisms and graphical user interface components. The flaw allows attackers who have already established legitimate authentication credentials to escalate their privileges and extract password information from arbitrary user accounts, fundamentally undermining the security posture of the affected system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through two distinct attack vectors that exploit different system components. The first vector involves direct access to log files where password information may be inadvertently stored in cleartext format, bypassing normal access controls that should prevent unauthorized reading of such sensitive data. The second vector exploits an unspecified GUI feature that provides unauthorized access to password information through the web-based management interface. Both attack paths leverage the fact that authenticated users can perform actions that should be restricted to administrators or system-level processes, creating a privilege escalation scenario that violates fundamental security principles.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft and represents a significant threat to network security infrastructure. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can gain access to authentication credentials for arbitrary users within the MSE environment, potentially enabling them to compromise additional systems within the network. This vulnerability affects the core security functions of the Mobility Services Engine, which typically manages wireless network authentication and authorization processes. The exposure of password information through either log file access or GUI manipulation creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent access to the network infrastructure and potentially escalate their compromise to other systems.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in relation to CWE-200, which addresses information exposure, and the ATT&CK framework's credential access techniques that involve harvesting credentials from log files and exploiting GUI-based access controls. The vulnerability demonstrates poor separation of privileges and inadequate input validation within the MSE's authentication and logging subsystems. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including restricting file system access to log files, reviewing and hardening GUI access controls, and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts. Additionally, regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar information disclosure vulnerabilities in other network infrastructure components and ensure proper implementation of principle of least privilege controls. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of securing not just primary authentication mechanisms but also supporting systems that may inadvertently expose sensitive information through improper access controls or logging practices.