CVE-2018-0351 in SD-WAN Solution
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the command-line tcpdump utility in the Cisco SD-WAN Solution could allow an authenticated, local attacker to inject arbitrary commands that are executed with root privileges. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating to the device and submitting crafted input to the tcpdump utility. The attacker must be authenticated to access the tcpdump utility. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute commands with root privileges. This vulnerability affects the following Cisco products if they are running a release of the Cisco SD-WAN Solution prior to Release 18.3.0: vBond Orchestrator Software, vEdge 100 Series Routers, vEdge 1000 Series Routers, vEdge 2000 Series Routers, vEdge 5000 Series Routers, vEdge Cloud Router Platform, vManage Network Management Software, vSmart Controller Software. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvi69751.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/08/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0351 represents a critical command injection flaw within the tcpdump utility of Cisco's SD-WAN solution ecosystem. This security weakness specifically targets the command-line network packet capture tool that is integral to network monitoring and troubleshooting functions within the Cisco SD-WAN architecture. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the tcpdump utility implementation, creating a pathway for malicious command execution that operates with elevated root privileges. The flaw exists in multiple Cisco SD-WAN components including vBond orchestrator software, various vEdge router series, vManage network management software, and vSmart controller software, all operating on affected software releases prior to version 18.3.0. This widespread impact across the SD-WAN solution suite demonstrates the fundamental nature of the input validation failure that affects core network infrastructure components.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an authenticated local attacker who can access the tcpdump utility through legitimate authentication mechanisms. This prerequisite significantly reduces the attack surface compared to remote exploitation scenarios but does not eliminate the severity of the flaw. The attacker must submit specifically crafted input parameters to the tcpdump utility that bypass input validation checks, allowing malicious commands to be executed within the context of the root user. This command injection occurs because the utility fails to properly sanitize or validate user-provided input before processing it, directly violating established security principles of input validation and sanitization. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-94 categories, which respectively address command injection and code injection flaws, both of which are classified as high-risk security weaknesses in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to potentially compromise entire network infrastructure components. When successfully exploited, the attacker gains root-level access to network devices, enabling complete control over routing decisions, packet filtering rules, network monitoring capabilities, and access to sensitive network data. This privilege escalation capability allows for persistent access, data exfiltration, network traffic manipulation, and potential lateral movement within the SD-WAN environment. The vulnerability's presence in critical network management software such as vManage and vSmart controllers could result in widespread disruption of network services, while the impact on vEdge routers affects the core forwarding and security functions of the SD-WAN solution. The exploitation pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and script injection, representing a fundamental compromise of the system's integrity and trust model.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-0351 primarily focus on upgrading affected Cisco SD-WAN solutions to release 18.3.0 or later, which contains the necessary input validation patches. Organizations should immediately implement this upgrade process across all affected devices including vBond orchestrators, vEdge routers of all series, vManage, and vSmart controllers. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing additional access controls and monitoring for tcpdump utility usage, particularly in environments where multiple users have local access to network devices. The vulnerability's requirement for local authentication means that proper access control and privilege management should be enforced to limit who can access the affected utilities. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual tcpdump command usage patterns and potential command injection attempts, while network segmentation and least privilege principles should be applied to minimize the potential impact of successful exploitation. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining instances of the vulnerable software versions within the network infrastructure.