CVE-2015-4189 in Data Center Analytics Framework
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Cisco Data Center Analytics Framework (DCAF) 1.4 allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of arbitrary users, aka Bug ID CSCun26807.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/14/2019
The CVE-2015-4189 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in Cisco Data Center Analytics Framework version 1.4. This vulnerability resides within the web-based administrative interface of the DCAF system, which is designed to provide analytics and monitoring capabilities for data center environments. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate authenticated sessions by tricking users into executing unintended actions without their knowledge or consent. The vulnerability specifically affects the framework's handling of authentication tokens and session management mechanisms, creating a pathway for unauthorized privilege escalation and potential system compromise. The issue is particularly concerning given that DCAF systems typically operate in sensitive enterprise environments where data center analytics and monitoring are critical for infrastructure management and security operations.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF token validation within the DCAF web interface. When legitimate users navigate to maliciously crafted web pages or click on compromised links, the framework fails to adequately verify that requests originate from authorized sources. This weakness allows attackers to construct specially crafted HTTP requests that leverage existing authenticated sessions to perform administrative actions such as creating new user accounts, modifying system configurations, or accessing restricted data. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and affects the framework's session management protocols, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrators regularly interact with the DCAF interface. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery issues, highlighting the fundamental flaw in the application's security controls.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-4189 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, potentially enabling attackers to gain complete administrative control over affected DCAF systems. This could result in unauthorized access to critical data center monitoring information, manipulation of analytics data, and potential disruption of infrastructure management operations. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to establish persistent access points within the network, creating backdoors for further exploitation or to conduct reconnaissance activities. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on DCAF for data center analytics, potentially exposing them to significant security risks including data breaches, service disruption, and compliance violations. The attack vector requires minimal technical expertise, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by threat actors with varying skill levels. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers social engineering tactics that leverage web-based attacks to gain unauthorized access to systems.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Cisco security patches and updates, enabling proper CSRF token validation mechanisms, and conducting thorough security assessments of their DCAF deployments. Network segmentation and monitoring controls should be strengthened to detect anomalous administrative activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security awareness training for administrators can help reduce the risk of successful social engineering attacks that leverage this vulnerability. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not disrupt existing DCAF functionality while effectively addressing the CSRF vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should review their access control policies and implement principle of least privilege for DCAF administrative accounts to minimize potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.