CVE-2018-0222 in DNA Center
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in Cisco Digital Network Architecture (DNA) Center could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to log in to an affected system by using an administrative account that has default, static user credentials. The vulnerability is due to the presence of undocumented, static user credentials for the default administrative account for the affected software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by using the account to log in to an affected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to log in to the affected system and execute arbitrary commands with root privileges. This vulnerability affects all releases of Cisco DNA Center Software prior to Release 1.1.3. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvh98929.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0222 represents a critical authentication flaw in Cisco Digital Network Architecture Center software that exposes systems to unauthorized remote access. This weakness stems from the inclusion of hardcoded, static credentials for the default administrative account within the software implementation, creating a persistent backdoor that remains accessible across multiple software versions. The vulnerability specifically affects all releases prior to Cisco DNA Center Software Release 1.1.3, indicating that Cisco recognized this flaw as a fundamental security issue requiring immediate remediation. The presence of undocumented credentials violates fundamental security principles and creates an inherent risk that persists even when administrators attempt to secure their systems through standard configuration practices.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a straightforward authentication process that requires no prior knowledge of system-specific credentials or complex attack vectors. An unauthenticated remote attacker can simply utilize the default administrative account with its predetermined credentials to establish a valid session on the affected system. This authentication bypass mechanism operates at the application layer and provides immediate access to administrative functions without requiring any additional reconnaissance or privilege escalation techniques. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access as successful exploitation grants the attacker full administrative privileges with root-level capabilities, enabling them to execute arbitrary commands, modify system configurations, and potentially compromise the entire network infrastructure managed by the affected DNA Center instance.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations relying on Cisco DNA Center for network management and orchestration. The default administrative account with static credentials represents a persistent threat vector that remains active until explicitly addressed through software updates or manual credential changes. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain complete control over network management systems, potentially disrupting network operations, accessing sensitive network data, or using the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks against the broader network infrastructure. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple software releases indicates that organizations may have been unknowingly exposed to this risk for extended periods, creating potential for long-term unauthorized access and data compromise.
The security implications of CVE-2018-0222 align with common attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly under the credential access and privilege escalation categories. This vulnerability exemplifies the dangerous practice of hardcoding credentials within software applications, which directly corresponds to CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials) and CWE-259 (Use of Hard-coded Password). Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through software updates to Release 1.1.3 or later versions, which address the hardcoded credential issue. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to limit access to DNA Center systems, monitoring for unauthorized authentication attempts, and conducting comprehensive security assessments to identify any potential compromise. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of following security best practices such as disabling default accounts, changing default credentials, and implementing proper access controls to prevent similar issues in other network management systems.