CVE-2018-0121 in Elastic Services Controller
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the authentication functionality of the web-based service portal of Cisco Elastic Services Controller Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication and execute arbitrary actions with administrator privileges on an affected system. The vulnerability is due to improper security restrictions that are imposed by the web-based service portal of the affected software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting an empty password value to an affected portal when prompted to enter an administrative password for the portal. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to bypass authentication and gain administrator privileges for the web-based service portal of the affected software. This vulnerability affects Cisco Elastic Services Controller Software Release 3.0.0. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvg29809.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2018-0121 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw within Cisco Elastic Services Controller Software version 3.0.0, specifically impacting the web-based service portal component. This weakness stems from inadequate security controls that fail to properly validate authentication inputs, creating an exploitable condition that allows unauthorized access to administrative functions. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication mechanisms, making it a direct threat to the software's security posture and potentially enabling full system compromise.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a simple yet effective method involving the submission of empty password values during authentication prompts. When the web-based service portal encounters an empty password field, the improper security restrictions fail to properly validate this input, allowing the authentication process to proceed without proper credential verification. This flaw essentially creates a backdoor mechanism where any unauthenticated attacker can bypass the normal authentication workflow by providing no password at all, effectively gaining immediate access to administrative privileges. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no specialized tools or complex exploitation techniques, making it particularly dangerous due to its simplicity and the high privilege level it grants.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as successful exploitation provides attackers with complete administrative control over the affected system. This level of access enables attackers to modify system configurations, install malicious software, access sensitive data, and potentially use the compromised system as a launching point for further attacks within the network. The vulnerability affects the core administrative functionality of the Cisco Elastic Services Controller Software, which likely serves as a central management interface for network services, making the potential damage significant for organizations relying on this platform. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1543 (Create or Modify System Process) tactics, as attackers can leverage compromised administrative access to maintain persistence and execute malicious activities.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the official Cisco security patches referenced in CSCvg29809, which address the improper authentication restrictions. Network segmentation should be implemented to limit access to the affected service portal, and additional authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication should be enforced where possible. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual authentication patterns or attempts to access administrative functions with empty credentials. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and authentication flow design, particularly in web applications where user inputs directly influence access control decisions. Regular security assessments of authentication mechanisms and adherence to secure coding practices should be mandatory to prevent similar issues in future implementations. Organizations should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning tools to identify similar authentication bypass opportunities within their network infrastructure and web applications.