CVE-2016-1301 in ASA-CX Content-Aware Security
Summary
by MITRE
The RBAC implementation in Cisco ASA-CX Content-Aware Security software before 9.3.1.1(112) and Cisco Prime Security Manager (PRSM) software before 9.3.1.1(112) allows remote authenticated users to change arbitrary passwords via a crafted HTTP request, aka Bug ID CSCuo94842.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/07/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2016-1301 represents a critical authorization flaw within Cisco's security infrastructure software, specifically affecting the Role-Based Access Control implementation in both Cisco ASA-CX Content-Aware Security and Cisco Prime Security Manager platforms. This weakness stems from insufficient input validation and improper access control mechanisms that fail to properly authenticate and authorize administrative actions, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate user credentials without proper authorization. The flaw exists in software versions prior to 9.3.1.1(112) and affects organizations relying on these security management systems for network protection and user access control.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a crafted HTTP request that allows authenticated users to manipulate password change operations within the system. This represents a classic case of insufficient authorization checks where the system fails to verify that the user attempting to modify a password has the appropriate privileges for that specific action. The vulnerability essentially enables privilege escalation through unauthorized password modification, allowing attackers to potentially gain persistent access to user accounts or administrative functions. This flaw operates at the application layer and leverages the existing authentication mechanism to bypass normal access controls, making it particularly dangerous as it requires only authenticated access rather than full administrative privileges.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using Cisco's security management solutions, as it could enable attackers to compromise user accounts and potentially escalate their privileges within the security infrastructure. The impact extends beyond simple credential theft, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to modify access controls, create backdoor accounts, or manipulate security policies. This vulnerability directly affects the integrity and confidentiality of security management systems, undermining the trust model that these platforms are designed to maintain. Organizations may experience unauthorized access to sensitive network security configurations and monitoring capabilities, potentially leading to extended periods of undetected compromise.
Organizations should immediately implement the vendor-provided security patches and updates to address this vulnerability, ensuring all affected Cisco ASA-CX Content-Aware Security and Cisco Prime Security Manager installations are upgraded to version 9.3.1.1(112) or later. Network administrators should conduct comprehensive audits of user access controls and password policies, implementing additional monitoring for unauthorized password change attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in software systems, and corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential access, highlighting the multi-faceted nature of the threat. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and additional access controls to limit the blast radius of potential exploitation, while monitoring for anomalous authentication patterns that might indicate attempted exploitation of this vulnerability.