CVE-2017-6688 in Elastic Services Controller
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in Cisco Elastic Services Controllers could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to log in to an affected system as the Linux root user, aka an Insecure Default Password Vulnerability. More Information: CSCvc76631. Known Affected Releases: 2.2(9.76).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6688 represents a critical authentication flaw in Cisco Elastic Services Controllers that enables authenticated remote attackers to escalate privileges and gain root-level access to affected systems. This weakness stems from an insecure default password configuration that persists across multiple releases of the Cisco Elastic Services Controller software. The vulnerability specifically affects version 2.2(9.76) and potentially other releases within the same product line, creating a persistent security risk for organizations deploying these network infrastructure components.
This vulnerability operates through a well-documented privilege escalation mechanism where an attacker with valid credentials can exploit the default password configuration to assume the root user identity on the underlying Linux operating system. The flaw falls under the CWE-798 weakness category, specifically addressing the use of hard-coded credentials in software applications, which represents a fundamental security misconfiguration that undermines the integrity of the authentication system. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it requires only authenticated access to the system, meaning that an attacker who has already gained some level of access can leverage this flaw to achieve complete system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-6688 extends far beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with unrestricted access to the underlying Linux environment of the Elastic Services Controller. This access enables full system control including the ability to modify system configurations, install malicious software, access sensitive data stored on the device, and potentially use the compromised controller as a pivot point to attack other systems within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability creates a significant attack surface for threat actors who may already have limited access to the network through other means, as it provides a straightforward path to achieving administrative control over critical network services.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including the deployment of patches provided by Cisco to address the default password configuration issue, along with comprehensive network segmentation to limit access to affected devices. Security teams should conduct thorough inventory assessments to identify all instances of the vulnerable software and ensure that default credentials are changed immediately upon discovery. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which addresses valid accounts and legitimate credentials as a means of gaining access to systems, highlighting the importance of credential management and access control policies. Additional protective measures should include implementing network monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts and establishing robust change management processes to prevent the re-introduction of default configurations.