CVE-2015-4259 in Unified Computing System Server
Summary
by MITRE
The Integrated Management Controller on Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) C servers with software 1.5(3) and 1.6(0.16) has a default SSL certificate, which makes it easier for man-in-the-middle attackers to bypass cryptographic protection mechanisms by leveraging knowledge of a private key, aka Bug IDs CSCum56133 and CSCum56177.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2015-4259 represents a critical cryptographic weakness in Cisco Unified Computing System C servers that significantly undermines the security posture of affected deployments. This issue affects specific software versions 1.5(3) and 1.6(0.16) of the Integrated Management Controller, which serves as the primary interface for remote management and monitoring of Cisco UCS infrastructure. The root cause stems from the implementation of a default SSL certificate that contains a known private key, creating a fundamental flaw in the cryptographic protection mechanisms that should safeguard communications between management interfaces and authorized administrators.
The technical flaw manifests through the use of a hardcoded, well-known private key within the default SSL certificate configuration. This configuration allows malicious actors to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by leveraging their knowledge of the private key to decrypt and potentially manipulate communications between management clients and the Integrated Management Controller. The vulnerability operates at the transport layer security level, specifically targeting the SSL/TLS encryption protocols that are essential for maintaining confidentiality and integrity of management communications. Attackers can exploit this weakness to intercept sensitive data, modify management commands, or establish unauthorized access to the system's management interface without requiring additional authentication credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple cryptographic compromise, as it fundamentally undermines the trust model that organizations rely upon for their data center infrastructure management. Organizations using affected Cisco UCS C servers face increased risk of unauthorized access to critical system management functions, potential data exfiltration, and disruption of service availability. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where management traffic traverses untrusted networks or where network segmentation is insufficient, as the default certificate allows attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms entirely. This weakness creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited by adversaries with minimal technical expertise, making it a high-priority target for exploitation in security breach scenarios.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched software versions that address the default certificate issue, implementing network segmentation to isolate management traffic, and deploying additional authentication layers such as two-factor authentication for management access. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-310, which specifically addresses cryptographic weaknesses in software implementations, and represents a clear violation of security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-57 for cryptographic key management. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1071.001 for application layer protocol: web protocols and T1566 for credential harvesting through man-in-the-middle attacks. The recommended remediation strategy involves comprehensive patch management across all affected systems, followed by thorough security assessments to verify that the default certificate has been properly replaced with a unique, securely generated certificate and private key pair.