CVE-2018-0296 in ASA
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web interface of the Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause an affected device to reload unexpectedly, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. It is also possible on certain software releases that the ASA will not reload, but an attacker could view sensitive system information without authentication by using directory traversal techniques. The vulnerability is due to lack of proper input validation of the HTTP URL. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP request to an affected device. An exploit could allow the attacker to cause a DoS condition or unauthenticated disclosure of information. This vulnerability applies to IPv4 and IPv6 HTTP traffic. This vulnerability affects Cisco ASA Software and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software that is running on the following Cisco products: 3000 Series Industrial Security Appliance (ISA), ASA 1000V Cloud Firewall, ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Security Appliances, ASA 5500-X Series Next-Generation Firewalls, ASA Services Module for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches and Cisco 7600 Series Routers, Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv), Firepower 2100 Series Security Appliance, Firepower 4100 Series Security Appliance, Firepower 9300 ASA Security Module, FTD Virtual (FTDv). Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvi16029.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2018-0296 represents a critical weakness in Cisco's Adaptive Security Appliance web interface architecture that fundamentally compromises the device's availability and information security. This flaw resides in the HTTP URL handling mechanism of the ASA software, where insufficient input validation creates an exploitable entry point for remote attackers. The vulnerability specifically targets the web management interface of Cisco's security appliances, affecting a broad range of hardware platforms including the 3000 Series ISA, various ASA models, and Firepower threat defense systems. The issue manifests through improper sanitization of HTTP requests, allowing malicious actors to manipulate URL parameters in ways that bypass authentication mechanisms and potentially trigger system instability.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted HTTP requests that leverage directory traversal techniques to access sensitive system information without authentication. This represents a classic example of insufficient input validation, which maps directly to CWE-20, a fundamental weakness in input validation that enables attackers to manipulate application behavior. The vulnerability's impact extends across both IPv4 and IPv6 traffic protocols, making it particularly dangerous in modern network environments where dual-stack implementations are common. Attackers can exploit this weakness to either induce a denial of service condition through device reloads or to extract confidential system information, depending on the specific software release version in use. The absence of proper input validation creates a pathway for attackers to traverse the file system and access restricted areas of the device's operating environment.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to network security infrastructure as it allows unauthenticated remote exploitation of critical security devices. The potential for denial of service attacks means that attackers can disrupt network security services by forcing device reboots, which could be particularly devastating in enterprise or industrial environments where continuous security monitoring is essential. The information disclosure aspect adds another layer of risk, as attackers can potentially access sensitive configuration data, system logs, or other confidential information that could be used for further exploitation or to undermine security posture. The vulnerability affects multiple Cisco product lines, increasing the attack surface and making it more challenging for organizations to maintain comprehensive protection across their security infrastructure. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1210, which involves exploitation of remote services, and T1083, which covers system information discovery through unauthorized access to system files and directories.
The recommended mitigations for CVE-2018-0296 involve immediate implementation of software updates from Cisco that address the input validation flaws in the web interface. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to ASA management interfaces, ensuring that only authorized administrative systems can reach these critical endpoints. Additional protective measures include configuring access control lists to restrict HTTP traffic to management interfaces, implementing network monitoring to detect anomalous HTTP request patterns, and establishing regular security assessments to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-20 and its potential for both DoS and information disclosure attacks emphasizes the importance of comprehensive security controls beyond just patch management. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on directory traversal attempts, as these attacks often follow predictable patterns that can be detected through proper network monitoring and logging configurations.