CVE-2016-1291 in Prime Infrastructure
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Prime Infrastructure 1.2.0 through 2.2(2) and Cisco Evolved Programmable Network Manager (EPNM) 1.2 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted deserialized data in an HTTP POST request, aka Bug ID CSCuw03192.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2022
This vulnerability represents a critical remote code execution flaw affecting Cisco Prime Infrastructure and Cisco Evolved Programmable Network Manager products. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of serialized data within HTTP POST requests, allowing attackers to craft malicious payloads that can be deserialized on the target system. This issue specifically impacts versions 1.2.0 through 2.2(2) of Prime Infrastructure and version 1.2 of EPNM, making it a widespread concern across multiple Cisco network management platforms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability leverages Java deserialization flaws, which fall under the CWE-502 category of Deserialization of Untrusted Data. When the affected systems process HTTP POST requests containing crafted serialized objects, the deserialization process executes arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows remote attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms and directly execute malicious code on the target system without requiring any prior access credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with complete system compromise capabilities. Successful exploitation enables attackers to gain full control over the affected network management systems, potentially leading to unauthorized network access, data exfiltration, and disruption of network operations. The vulnerability affects the core network management functionality, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise enterprise network infrastructure. This type of vulnerability is classified under the MITRE ATT&CK framework as part of the Execution tactic, specifically targeting the Deserialization of Untrusted Data technique.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Cisco, implementing network segmentation to isolate affected systems, and monitoring for suspicious HTTP POST requests containing unusual serialized data patterns. Additionally, organizations should consider disabling unnecessary network services and implementing strict input validation controls to prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of secure coding practices and proper input validation in enterprise network management systems, particularly when handling serialized data from external sources.