CVE-2017-12228 in IOS
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the Cisco Network Plug and Play application of Cisco IOS 12.4 through 15.6 and Cisco IOS XE 3.3 through 16.4 could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data by using an invalid certificate. The vulnerability is due to insufficient certificate validation by the affected software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by supplying a crafted certificate to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks to decrypt confidential information on user connections to the affected software. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvc33171.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12228 resides within the Cisco Network Plug and Play application running on Cisco IOS and IOS XE operating systems. This flaw affects versions ranging from IOS 12.4 through 15.6 and IOS XE 3.3 through 16.4, creating a widespread impact across multiple network infrastructure platforms. The vulnerability stems from inadequate certificate validation mechanisms that fail to properly verify the authenticity and integrity of digital certificates presented during network communications. This weakness specifically impacts the cryptographic security controls that protect sensitive data exchanges within enterprise networks.
The technical flaw manifests when the affected Cisco software processes certificate validation without sufficient cryptographic checks, allowing attackers to present malformed or invalid certificates that the system accepts as legitimate. This insufficient validation creates a critical security gap where an unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit the vulnerability by supplying a crafted certificate to the targeted device. The vulnerability operates at the transport layer security level, where certificate-based authentication should prevent unauthorized access to network resources. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in cryptographic implementation where the system fails to properly validate certificate chains and digital signatures, making it susceptible to certificate forgery attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables man-in-the-middle attacks that can decrypt confidential information transmitted over user connections to the affected software. Attackers can intercept and manipulate network traffic without detection, potentially accessing sensitive corporate data, credentials, and communication channels. This vulnerability undermines the fundamental security assurances provided by SSL/TLS protocols and certificate-based authentication systems, creating opportunities for data exfiltration and network reconnaissance. The attack vector requires no authentication credentials from the attacker, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited from any remote location without prior access to the network.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Cisco security patches and updates, configuring strict certificate validation policies, and implementing network monitoring to detect anomalous certificate behavior. Network administrators should also consider disabling unnecessary plug and play services when not actively required, implementing additional network segmentation controls, and establishing robust certificate management practices. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under credential access and defense evasion techniques, as attackers can leverage it to maintain persistent access while evading traditional security controls. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar certificate validation weaknesses across the entire network infrastructure.