CVE-2016-1340 in Unified Computing System Platform Emulator
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) Platform Emulator 2.5(2)TS4, 3.0(2c)A, and 3.0(2c)TS9 allows local users to gain privileges via crafted libclimeta.so filename arguments, aka Bug ID CSCux68837.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1340 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow flaw within Cisco Unified Computing System UCS Platform Emulator versions 2.5(2)TS4, 3.0(2c)A, and 3.0(2c)TS9. This security weakness resides in the libclimeta.so library component which processes filename arguments, creating an opportunity for local attackers to escalate their privileges within the system. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and bounds checking when handling crafted filename parameters, allowing malicious input to overwrite adjacent memory regions in the heap allocation space. This particular vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow category, which is classified as a serious memory corruption vulnerability that can lead to arbitrary code execution and privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with elevated system access that can be leveraged to manipulate or extract sensitive data from the unified computing environment. Local users who can execute commands on the system gain the ability to exploit this flaw through carefully crafted arguments passed to the libclimeta.so library, potentially allowing them to execute malicious code with higher privileges than initially granted. The attack vector requires local system access but does not necessitate network connectivity, making it particularly dangerous in environments where local access is not properly restricted. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers privilege escalation through local exploitation, and specifically targets the privilege escalation sub-technique T1068.001 which involves exploiting vulnerabilities in local systems.
The technical exploitation of this buffer overflow requires attackers to craft specific filename arguments that exceed the allocated buffer size in the libclimeta.so library, causing memory corruption that can be manipulated to execute arbitrary code. The heap-based nature of the vulnerability means that memory allocation and deallocation patterns can be manipulated to achieve code execution, potentially allowing attackers to bypass security controls and establish persistent access. Cisco's platform emulator serves as a critical component for testing and development environments, making this vulnerability particularly concerning as it can affect the integrity of development workflows and potentially compromise the security of systems that rely on UCS platform emulation for testing purposes. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected systems to version 3.0(2d)A or later, implementing proper input validation and bounds checking, and restricting local access to systems running the vulnerable UCS Platform Emulator. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring for suspicious command execution patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments should verify that no other components within the unified computing environment contain similar vulnerabilities that could be leveraged for further compromise.