CVE-2016-4928 in Junos Space
Summary
by MITRE
Cross site request forgery vulnerability in Junos Space before 15.2R2 allows remote attackers to perform certain administrative actions on Junos Space.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/10/2020
The CVE-2016-4928 vulnerability represents a critical cross site request forgery flaw discovered in Junos Space network management platform prior to version 15.2R2. This vulnerability exposes the system to remote attackers who can exploit the weakness to execute unauthorized administrative operations within the Junos Space environment. The issue stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-CSRF token implementation in the web-based management interface, creating a significant security risk for network administrators who rely on this platform for device management and monitoring.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of web requests that target the Junos Space administrative interface. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or send specially crafted requests that, when executed by an authenticated administrator, perform unintended administrative actions such as creating new user accounts, modifying system configurations, changing network policies, or accessing sensitive system information. The vulnerability specifically affects the web-based management console rather than the underlying network device management protocols, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through standard web browsers without requiring direct network access to the Junos Space platform itself.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-4928 extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it allows attackers to gain persistent control over the network management platform. This can result in complete compromise of the network monitoring capabilities, unauthorized access to network device configurations, and potential disruption of network operations. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations that depend heavily on Junos Space for centralized network management, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to manipulate network policies, disable security features, or create backdoor access points that persist even after the initial attack. The attack vector requires minimal technical expertise, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with less sophisticated security monitoring capabilities.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates released for Junos Space version 15.2R2 and later. Network segmentation and access controls should be enhanced to limit direct access to the Junos Space administrative interface, while implementing additional authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication for administrative access. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence through web application exploitation, potentially enabling adversaries to maintain long-term access to network management infrastructure. Regular security assessments and monitoring of administrative access logs should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and additional network-based controls to detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting the affected administrative interfaces.