CVE-2018-0130 in Elastic Services Controller
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the use of JSON web tokens by the web-based service portal of Cisco Elastic Services Controller Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to gain administrative access to an affected system. The vulnerability is due to the presence of static default credentials for the web-based service portal of the affected software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by extracting the credentials from an image of the affected software and using those credentials to generate a valid administrative session token for the web-based service portal of any other installation of the affected software. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to gain administrative access to the web-based service portal of an affected system. This vulnerability affects Cisco Elastic Services Controller Software Release 3.0.0. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvg30884.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0130 represents a critical security flaw in Cisco Elastic Services Controller Software version 3.0.0, specifically affecting the web-based service portal component. This issue stems from the improper implementation of authentication mechanisms that rely on static default credentials, creating a persistent security weakness that can be exploited by unauthenticated remote attackers. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows attackers to bypass normal authentication procedures and gain full administrative privileges over affected systems. The flaw manifests through the presence of hardcoded credentials within the software image, which can be extracted and subsequently used to generate valid session tokens for administrative access across multiple installations of the same software version.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a specific attack pattern that aligns with CWE-798, which addresses the use of hard-coded credentials in software implementations. Attackers can extract the static default credentials from software images, typically through reverse engineering or by obtaining legitimate software packages that contain these hardcoded values. Once extracted, these credentials serve as the foundation for generating valid JSON web tokens that authenticate attackers with administrative privileges on the web-based service portal. The vulnerability's exploitation mechanism demonstrates a classic case of credential reuse, where default authentication values that should be changed during deployment are instead embedded permanently within the software distribution, creating a universal attack vector across all installations using the same software version.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the affected systems. This level of access enables malicious actors to modify system configurations, access sensitive data, install malicious software, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure. The web-based service portal serves as a critical management interface for the Cisco Elastic Services Controller, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on these systems for their network operations. The attack scenario is particularly concerning because it allows for scalable exploitation across multiple systems, as the same credentials work across different installations of the vulnerable software, eliminating the need for individualized attack vectors for each target.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigation strategies to address the security risk. The primary recommendation involves changing default credentials to strong, unique passwords that are properly configured during software deployment rather than relying on hardcoded values. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of the affected service portal to authorized users only. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of software supply chain security and proper credential management practices, as outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and aligned with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts and regularly audit authentication mechanisms to ensure that default credentials have been properly replaced. The incident underscores the critical need for secure software development practices and the elimination of hard-coded credentials in production software releases.