CVE-2017-14602 in Netscaler Application Delivery Controller
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability has been identified in the management interface of Citrix NetScaler Application Delivery Controller (ADC) and NetScaler Gateway 10.1 before build 135.18, 10.5 before build 66.9, 10.5e before build 60.7010.e, 11.0 before build 70.16, 11.1 before build 55.13, and 12.0 before build 53.13 (except for build 41.24) that, if exploited, could allow an attacker with access to the NetScaler management interface to gain administrative access to the appliance.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14602 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within Citrix NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway management interfaces. This weakness affects multiple versions of the NetScaler platform, specifically targeting the authentication and authorization mechanisms that govern administrative access to these critical network infrastructure appliances. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of user permissions within the management interface, creating a pathway for malicious actors to elevate their privileges from standard user level to full administrative control.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a flaw in the access control implementation that fails to properly verify administrative privileges when processing certain management interface requests. Attackers with legitimate access to the NetScaler management interface can leverage this weakness to bypass normal authentication checks and assume complete administrative control over the appliance. This flaw operates at the application layer and affects the platform's ability to enforce proper authorization boundaries, making it particularly dangerous for network security infrastructure components. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 for privilege escalation through legitimate credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with complete control over the NetScaler appliance and its associated network services. Once exploited, attackers can modify configuration settings, view sensitive network traffic, manipulate load balancing rules, and potentially use the compromised appliance as a pivot point for further attacks within the network. The affected versions span multiple major releases, indicating a widespread issue that could impact organizations running different generations of Citrix NetScaler products. This vulnerability particularly threatens enterprises that rely on NetScaler for critical application delivery and gateway services, as it could lead to complete compromise of their network infrastructure security posture.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates for all affected NetScaler versions, implementing network segmentation to limit access to management interfaces, and deploying additional monitoring controls to detect unauthorized administrative access attempts. The remediation process requires careful planning to avoid service disruption while ensuring complete protection against exploitation. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive audits of NetScaler appliance configurations and access controls to identify any potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing network access controls that restrict management interface access to authorized administrative workstations and utilizing multi-factor authentication for administrative access can significantly reduce the risk of successful exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper access controls for network infrastructure components that serve as central points of control and security enforcement.