CVE-2017-3801 in UCS Director
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based GUI of Cisco UCS Director 6.0.0.0 and 6.0.0.1 could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary workflow items with just an end-user profile, a Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. The vulnerability is due to improper role-based access control (RBAC) after the Developer Menu is enabled in Cisco UCS Director. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by enabling Developer Mode for his/her user profile with an end-user profile and then adding new catalogs with arbitrary workflow items to his/her profile. An exploit could allow an attacker to perform any actions defined by these workflow items, including actions affecting other tenants. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvb64765.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2017-3801 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within Cisco UCS Director's web-based graphical user interface. This issue affects versions 6.0.0.0 and 6.0.0.1 of the platform, where the security model fails to properly enforce role-based access control mechanisms. The vulnerability stems from a design flaw that allows authenticated local attackers with minimal privileges to escalate their access rights significantly. The flaw specifically manifests when the Developer Menu is enabled within the system, creating an unexpected pathway for unauthorized privilege expansion that bypasses normal security boundaries.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a carefully orchestrated sequence of actions that leverage the platform's insufficient access controls. An attacker with only an end-user profile can enable Developer Mode within their user profile, effectively bypassing the normal authentication and authorization checks. Once Developer Mode is activated, the attacker can create new catalogs containing arbitrary workflow items that would normally require elevated privileges to execute. This particular flaw falls under CWE-285, which specifically addresses improper authorization issues, and represents a classic case of insufficient access control where the system fails to properly validate user permissions before granting elevated capabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly benign features like developer menus can become attack vectors when not properly secured.
The operational impact of this privilege escalation vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to perform actions that could affect multiple tenants within the same system. This multi-tenant environment becomes particularly vulnerable since the attacker can execute workflow items that might modify or access resources belonging to other users or organizations sharing the same platform. The implications are severe for cloud environments and data center management systems where tenant isolation is critical for maintaining security boundaries. Attackers could potentially manipulate workflows to extract sensitive data, modify configurations, or disrupt services affecting other tenants. This vulnerability directly relates to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation, demonstrating how attackers can leverage legitimate user accounts to gain elevated privileges.
The security implications of this vulnerability highlight the critical importance of proper access control implementation in enterprise software platforms. Organizations utilizing Cisco UCS Director should immediately implement mitigations including disabling Developer Mode for all users except those with legitimate administrative requirements, implementing strict monitoring of user profile modifications, and conducting comprehensive access control reviews. The vulnerability also underscores the necessity of following security best practices such as principle of least privilege and defense in depth, where multiple layers of security controls work together to prevent unauthorized access. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar access control weaknesses that could potentially be exploited in other components of the system. Organizations should also consider implementing automated monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized modifications to user profiles or suspicious workflow execution patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.