CVE-2017-3805 in IOS
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco IOS and Cisco IOx Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to view confidential information that is displayed without authenticating to the device. Affected Products: This vulnerability affects Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOx Software running on IR829, IR809, IE4K, and CGR1K platforms. More Information: CSCvb20897. Known Affected Releases: 1.0(0).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/14/2026
This vulnerability resides within the web-based management interface of Cisco IOS and Cisco IOx Software, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the fundamental authentication mechanisms designed to protect network infrastructure. The issue specifically affects devices operating on IR829, IR809, IE4K, and CGR1K platforms, which are commonly deployed in enterprise and service provider environments where secure access to network management functions is paramount. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls within the web interface, allowing unauthorized remote actors to bypass authentication requirements and gain visibility into sensitive operational data that should remain protected.
The technical nature of this flaw enables an unauthenticated remote attacker to exploit a weakness in the authentication framework of the web management interface, potentially exposing confidential information such as device configuration details, operational status, network topology data, and other sensitive parameters that are typically restricted to authorized administrators. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and could provide attackers with valuable intelligence for subsequent attacks. The vulnerability exists at the application layer within the web interface component, making it accessible through standard network protocols without requiring any prior credentials or authorization. According to CWE classification, this corresponds to CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues in software applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it fundamentally compromises the security posture of affected devices and could enable more sophisticated attacks. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially map the entire network infrastructure, identify critical assets, and gather intelligence about network topology and device configurations. This information could then be leveraged to plan more targeted attacks against other network components or to exploit additional vulnerabilities that may exist within the infrastructure. The exposure of sensitive data through an unauthenticated interface creates a significant risk for organizations relying on these devices for network operations, potentially leading to service disruption, data breaches, or unauthorized network access. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access and discovery of system information, enabling adversaries to establish a foothold and gather intelligence for further exploitation.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Cisco security patches and updates released to address the authentication flaw. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enhanced to limit exposure of management interfaces to trusted networks only. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar authentication weaknesses in other network components, and monitoring should be implemented to detect unauthorized access attempts to management interfaces. Device administrators should also consider disabling web-based management interfaces when not actively required, and implement additional authentication layers such as two-factor authentication to strengthen access controls. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of robust authentication mechanisms in network infrastructure devices and highlights the need for continuous security monitoring and timely patch management to prevent exploitation of authentication bypass vulnerabilities.