CVE-2017-6705 in Prime Collaboration Provisioning
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the filesystem of the Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning tool could allow an authenticated, local attacker to acquire sensitive information. More Information: CSCvc82973. Known Affected Releases: 12.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/30/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6705 resides within the filesystem implementation of Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning tool version 12.1, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of sensitive data handling processes. This issue manifests as an information disclosure vulnerability that specifically targets authenticated local attackers who possess legitimate credentials within the system. The vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls and insufficient validation mechanisms within the filesystem layer, creating an exploitable condition that allows unauthorized data exposure.
The technical flaw operates through a privilege escalation mechanism that leverages the authenticated user's existing credentials to bypass normal filesystem access restrictions. When an attacker successfully authenticates to the system, they can exploit the underlying filesystem implementation to access files and directories that should normally be restricted to administrative users or system processes. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-200 category of "Information Exposure" and represents a classic case of inadequate access control implementation. The flaw essentially allows an authenticated user to escalate their privileges and gain access to sensitive configuration files, user credentials, or other confidential data that should remain protected.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited by malicious insiders or attackers who have gained initial access through other means. Local attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive information that could be used for further attacks, including but not limited to administrative credentials, system configurations, or communication protocols. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning tool, which is designed to manage and provision collaboration services, making the potential impact on enterprise communications and network infrastructure significant.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-6705 should focus on implementing proper access controls and privilege management within the filesystem layer. Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided security patches and updates to address the specific implementation flaws in the Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning tool. System administrators should also implement comprehensive monitoring of filesystem access patterns and establish strict audit trails to detect unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following security best practices such as the principle of least privilege and regular security assessments. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and additional authentication controls to minimize the potential impact of such local privilege escalation vulnerabilities. This issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for Valid Accounts and T1566 for Phishing, as it represents a pathway for attackers to maintain persistence and escalate privileges within a compromised environment.