CVE-2018-0259 in MATE Collecto
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco MATE Collector could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attack and perform arbitrary actions on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient CSRF protections for the web-based management interface of an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user of the interface to follow a malicious link. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to perform arbitrary actions on a targeted device via a web browser and with the privileges of the user. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvh31222.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/30/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0259 affects Cisco MATE Collector devices and represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in the web-based management interface. This vulnerability stems from inadequate CSRF protection mechanisms within the device's administrative web portal, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on these network monitoring tools. The flaw specifically targets the authentication and authorization controls that should prevent unauthorized modifications to device configurations through web-based interfaces. According to Cisco Bug ID CSCvh31222, the vulnerability manifests when an unauthenticated attacker crafts malicious requests that can be executed by unsuspecting users who interact with the compromised interface. The security implications are particularly severe because the attacker does not need valid credentials to exploit this vulnerability, as the flaw resides in the interface's handling of cross-site requests rather than in user authentication mechanisms. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery issues in software applications.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2018-0259 occurs when an attacker constructs a malicious web page or link that, when clicked by an authenticated user of the MATE Collector interface, automatically submits requests to the device's management functions. The attacker can leverage this to perform administrative actions such as changing device configurations, modifying user accounts, or even resetting system parameters without the user's knowledge or consent. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no specialized tools or credentials beyond the ability to craft malicious web content, and it can be delivered through email phishing campaigns, compromised websites, or social engineering tactics. The vulnerability essentially allows the attacker to hijack the authenticated session of any user who visits the malicious link, executing commands with whatever privileges the user possesses. This particular flaw demonstrates how web application security controls can be bypassed when proper CSRF token validation is not implemented or maintained within the web interface components.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-0259 extends beyond simple unauthorized access to potentially catastrophic network disruptions and security breaches. Organizations using Cisco MATE Collector devices face the risk of complete compromise of their network monitoring capabilities, as attackers could manipulate the collector's configuration to disable logging, redirect traffic, or even establish backdoors within the monitored network segments. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit it from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the device or network infrastructure. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors who seek to maintain persistent access to enterprise networks through compromised monitoring tools. The potential for lateral movement within networks increases significantly when attackers can manipulate monitoring devices, as these tools often have elevated privileges and access to critical network information. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1071.004 for Application Layer Protocol: DNS and T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell, as attackers could use the compromised interface to execute malicious commands or establish persistence mechanisms.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations to address CVE-2018-0259, including applying the latest Cisco security patches and firmware updates that contain CSRF protection fixes. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit access to the MATE Collector web interfaces to only authorized personnel with proper authentication. The implementation of web application firewalls and content security policies can provide additional layers of protection against CSRF attacks targeting the affected interface. Administrators should also conduct regular security assessments of web-based management interfaces to identify similar vulnerabilities in other network devices. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and CSRF token implementation in web applications, as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security risks. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative access and establishing monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized configuration changes in their network monitoring infrastructure. Regular security awareness training for personnel who interact with network management interfaces can help prevent successful social engineering attacks that exploit this vulnerability. The remediation process should include verifying that all web interfaces properly implement CSRF protection mechanisms, including the use of unique tokens for each user session and proper validation of request origins to prevent unauthorized cross-site requests from executing privileged actions.