CVE-2015-6315 in Aironet 1850
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Aironet 1850 access points with software 8.1(112.4) allow local users to gain privileges via crafted CLI commands, aka Bug ID CSCuv79694.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6315 affects Cisco Aironet 1850 wireless access points running software version 8.1(112.4) and potentially other affected versions. This represents a local privilege escalation flaw that enables authenticated attackers with access to the command line interface to elevate their privileges and gain administrative control over the device. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and privilege handling within the command line interface implementation, creating a pathway for malicious command injection that bypasses normal access controls.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through carefully crafted CLI commands that manipulate the device's privilege levels. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute commands with elevated privileges, potentially gaining full administrative access to the wireless access point. The vulnerability specifically impacts the authentication and authorization mechanisms within the command line interface, allowing local users who already have access to the device to escalate their privileges without requiring additional authentication factors. This weakness aligns with CWE-264, which describes permissions, privileges, and access control issues, particularly focusing on the improper handling of privilege levels within network device management interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations relying on Cisco Aironet 1850 access points in their wireless infrastructure. An attacker who gains initial access to the device through legitimate means such as network administration or physical access can exploit this vulnerability to obtain full administrative privileges, potentially compromising the entire wireless network. This escalation allows for complete control over wireless access point configurations, enabling attackers to modify network settings, create unauthorized access points, or establish persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited for lateral movement within the network and can serve as a foundation for more extensive attacks.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches provided by Cisco to address the privilege escalation vulnerability in affected software versions. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit local access to wireless access points, ensuring that only authorized personnel have physical or administrative access to these devices. Monitoring and logging of command line activities should be enhanced to detect suspicious privilege escalation attempts. Additionally, implementing network access control lists and restricting administrative access to wireless infrastructure through secure network design principles can help prevent exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and privilege management in network device firmware, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers exploit for privilege escalation and T1566 which addresses credential harvesting through network access. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments of their wireless infrastructure to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities that could provide attackers with unauthorized access to critical network components.