CVE-2017-6786 in Elastic Services Controller
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in Cisco Elastic Services Controller could allow an authenticated, local, unprivileged attacker to access sensitive information, including credentials for system accounts, on an affected system. The vulnerability is due to improper protection of sensitive log files. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by logging in to an affected system and accessing unprotected log files. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to access sensitive log files, which may include system credentials, on the affected system. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvc76616. Known Affected Releases: 2.2(9.76).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/09/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6786 resides within Cisco Elastic Services Controller software version 2.2(9.76) and represents a critical weakness in information disclosure controls. This flaw manifests as insufficient protection of sensitive log files that contain system credentials and authentication data. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only local, authenticated access from an unprivileged user account to exploit, making it accessible to attackers who have already gained some level of system presence. The issue stems from the improper handling of log file permissions and access controls, which allows unauthorized access to sensitive information that should remain protected from local system users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows a well-defined attack pattern that aligns with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials) categories. An authenticated attacker with minimal privileges can leverage this weakness to directly access log files that contain system credentials, potentially including administrative account passwords and other sensitive authentication data. The exploitation process involves logging into the system with standard user credentials and then navigating to the unprotected log file locations where the sensitive information is stored. This type of attack follows ATT&CK technique T1005 (Data from Local System) and T1552 (Unsecured Credentials) pathways, demonstrating how local privilege escalation can be achieved through information disclosure rather than direct privilege manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it can provide attackers with comprehensive access to system authentication mechanisms and potentially enable further lateral movement within the network. The exposure of system credentials in log files creates a significant risk for organizations relying on Cisco Elastic Services Controller, as the stolen information could be used to escalate privileges, access additional systems, or maintain persistent access to the network. This vulnerability essentially undermines the principle of least privilege by allowing unprivileged users to access information that should be restricted to system administrators and security personnel. The affected system configuration provides no adequate protection for sensitive data, making it vulnerable to exploitation regardless of the attacker's initial access level, which can result in complete system compromise if administrative credentials are exposed.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-6786 should focus on immediate remediation through the installation of Cisco's official security patches and updates. Organizations must ensure that all affected systems are updated to versions that properly implement log file access controls and enforce appropriate file permissions for sensitive system information. System administrators should conduct comprehensive audits of log file locations and permissions to identify any remaining vulnerable configurations. The implementation of proper access control lists and file permission settings should be enforced to ensure that only authorized system processes and administrators can access sensitive log files. Additionally, regular monitoring and log analysis should be implemented to detect any unauthorized access attempts to sensitive system files. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and privilege separation measures to limit the potential impact of credential exposure, ensuring that even if an attacker gains access to one system, they cannot easily move laterally to access other critical systems within the network infrastructure.