CVE-2018-0392 in Policy Suite
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco Policy Suite could allow an authenticated, local attacker to access files owned by another user. The vulnerability is due to insufficient access control permissions (i.e., World-Readable). An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by logging in to the CLI. An exploit could allow the attacker to access potentially sensitive files that are owned by a different user. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvh18087.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/08/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0392 resides within the command line interface of Cisco Policy Suite, representing a critical access control weakness that undermines the security posture of affected systems. This flaw manifests as insufficient permission controls, specifically allowing world-readable access to files that should remain restricted to specific users or processes. The vulnerability stems from inadequate implementation of file system permissions within the CLI environment, creating an exploitable condition where local authenticated users can bypass normal access controls. The Cisco Bug ID CSCvh18087 documents this specific weakness in the software's permission handling mechanisms. The vulnerability affects systems where Cisco Policy Suite is installed and operational, potentially exposing sensitive data to unauthorized access by individuals who have authenticated to the system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an authenticated local attacker who can access the CLI interface, making it a local privilege escalation issue rather than a remote attack vector. Attackers can leverage their authenticated session to navigate file system structures and access files owned by other users, potentially gaining access to confidential information, configuration data, or system resources that should remain protected. This weakness directly violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates poor implementation of access control mechanisms. The World-Readable permission settings allow any user with access to the CLI to enumerate and retrieve files that contain sensitive information, creating a significant data exposure risk. The flaw represents a failure in proper file system permission enforcement and demonstrates how inadequate access control can lead to unauthorized information disclosure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can facilitate further attacks and compromise system integrity. An attacker who successfully accesses files owned by other users can potentially extract sensitive configuration details, user credentials, or application-specific data that could be used for additional exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which describes improper file permissions, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1005 for data from local system. The exposure of files owned by different users creates a potential pathway for privilege escalation or lateral movement within the system. Organizations using Cisco Policy Suite may face compliance violations and regulatory penalties if sensitive data is accessed through this vulnerability, particularly in environments governed by standards such as HIPAA, PCI DSS, or SOX. The vulnerability also undermines the trust model of the system, as it allows users to access resources they should not be authorized to view.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-0392 should focus on implementing proper access controls and file system permissions within the Cisco Policy Suite environment. Organizations should immediately apply the relevant Cisco security patches and updates that address the permission handling flaw in the CLI component. System administrators should conduct thorough permission audits of all files within the Cisco Policy Suite installation directories, ensuring that files owned by different users maintain appropriate access restrictions. The implementation of proper file system permissions, including setting restrictive read permissions on sensitive files, can prevent unauthorized access. Regular security assessments should verify that access controls are properly enforced and that no world-readable files exist in critical system directories. Additionally, organizations should implement monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive files and establish proper user access logging to track potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining proper file system permissions and access controls as fundamental security measures in enterprise environments.