CVE-2017-6697 in Elastic Services Controller
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web interface of Cisco Elastic Services Controllers could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to access sensitive system credentials that are stored in an affected system. More Information: CSCvd76339. Known Affected Releases: 2.2(9.76).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6697 resides within the web interface of Cisco Elastic Services Controllers, representing a critical security flaw that enables authenticated remote attackers to extract sensitive system credentials from affected systems. This vulnerability specifically impacts version 2.2(9.76) and potentially other releases within the same affected family. The flaw stems from inadequate access controls and credential storage mechanisms within the web interface component, creating an exploitable path for malicious actors who have already established authentication credentials to the system. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-284 Access Control, which specifically addresses improper access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized access to resources. This weakness directly violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a failure in implementing proper authorization checks within the application's authentication flow. The affected Cisco Elastic Services Controllers serve as critical infrastructure components that manage and orchestrate various network services, making the exposure of stored credentials particularly dangerous as it could provide attackers with elevated privileges and persistent access to the underlying network infrastructure.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to first authenticate to the web interface using valid credentials, which then grants them access to system resources that should be restricted to authorized administrative users only. Once authenticated, the attacker can leverage the flaw to access sensitive credential storage areas within the system where administrative passwords, service accounts, and potentially other confidential information are maintained. This represents a privilege escalation scenario where the attacker's initial authenticated session is leveraged to access additional sensitive data beyond their normal operational scope. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that these controllers typically manage critical network functions and may contain credentials for multiple system components, databases, and network devices. The flaw essentially creates a credential harvesting mechanism that allows attackers to collect multiple sets of credentials that can then be used for lateral movement within the network or to access other systems that rely on the compromised credentials.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-6697 extends far beyond the immediate compromise of the affected Cisco Elastic Services Controllers. Organizations that fail to address this vulnerability face significant risk of credential-based attacks, including unauthorized access to network infrastructure, potential data breaches, and extended attack surfaces that could lead to more severe compromise scenarios. The exposure of stored credentials can enable attackers to maintain persistent access to the network, perform reconnaissance activities, and potentially escalate privileges to administrative levels across multiple systems. This vulnerability aligns with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to credential access and privilege escalation, where attackers can harvest credentials from compromised systems to gain further access. The attack surface is further expanded as the compromised credentials may be used to access other systems that share authentication mechanisms or trust relationships with the affected controllers. Organizations may experience cascading security incidents where a single compromised controller leads to broader network infiltration, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where network segmentation may not adequately protect against credential-based attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-6697 require immediate implementation of security patches provided by Cisco, which address the underlying access control flaws in the web interface component. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to isolate affected controllers from critical network segments and establish strict access controls for web interface access. The implementation of multi-factor authentication for administrative access can provide additional protection layers against credential compromise, while regular monitoring of authentication logs can help detect unauthorized access attempts. Security teams should conduct thorough credential audits to identify and rotate any compromised credentials that may have been harvested through this vulnerability. Network administrators should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can monitor for anomalous access patterns to web interfaces and credential storage areas. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper credential management practices and the need for organizations to regularly review their access control mechanisms. Organizations should also establish procedures for rapid patch deployment and maintain current knowledge of security advisories from vendors to ensure timely response to similar vulnerabilities in their infrastructure. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that patches do not introduce compatibility issues with existing network services while maintaining the security improvements necessary to address the vulnerability.