CVE-2018-10239 in NIOS
Summary
by MITRE
A privilege escalation vulnerability in the "support access" feature on Infoblox NIOS 6.8 through 8.4.1 could allow a locally authenticated administrator to temporarily gain additional privileges on an affected device and perform actions within the super user scope. The vulnerability is due to a weakness in the "support access" password generation algorithm. A locally authenticated administrative user may be able to exploit this vulnerability if the "support access" feature is enabled, they know the support access code for the current session, and they know the algorithm to generate the support access password from the support access code. "Support access" is disabled by default. When enabled, the access will be automatically disabled (and support access code will expire) after the 24 hours.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/24/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-10239 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the Infoblox Network Identity Operating System version 6.8 through 8.4.1. This weakness specifically targets the support access feature that allows administrative users to temporarily elevate their privileges for troubleshooting purposes. The vulnerability stems from a fundamental flaw in the password generation algorithm used by the system, creating a predictable pattern that can be exploited by malicious actors with local administrative access. The issue is particularly concerning because it operates within the legitimate administrative framework of the system, making detection more challenging for security monitoring tools.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability lies in the insecure generation of support access passwords that are derived from the support access code through a flawed algorithm. When the support access feature is enabled, which is disabled by default, the system generates a temporary administrative password based on a mathematical relationship between the support access code and the target password. An attacker who has local administrative credentials and knowledge of this algorithm can predict and generate valid support access passwords, thereby gaining super user privileges on the device. This creates a dangerous situation where legitimate administrative functionality becomes a vector for privilege escalation attacks, as the system's own access control mechanism fails to maintain proper security boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with access to the complete super user scope of the Infoblox NIOS system. This elevated access level allows for complete system compromise, including modification of network configuration, access to sensitive data, and potential lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability requires specific conditions to be exploited, including local administrative access, knowledge of the support access feature being enabled, and understanding of the password generation algorithm. However, once these prerequisites are met, the attack can be executed with minimal additional resources, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrative credentials may be compromised or where insider threats exist.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a direct violation of the principle of least privilege, as it allows for unauthorized elevation of privileges through a legitimate system feature. The weakness aligns with CWE-310, which addresses cryptographic weaknesses in password generation algorithms, and demonstrates how predictable or insufficiently random cryptographic operations can create security vulnerabilities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques where adversaries leverage existing administrative access to gain elevated privileges through system design flaws. The 24-hour expiration window of support access codes provides a limited window for exploitation, but this temporal constraint does not mitigate the overall risk, as attackers can maintain access for the duration of their session or potentially extend their access through other means.
The recommended mitigations include disabling the support access feature entirely if it is not required for operations, as this eliminates the attack surface entirely. Organizations should also implement strict access controls and monitoring for administrative activities, particularly around the activation and usage of support access features. Regular security assessments should be conducted to ensure that support access is not enabled unnecessarily, and administrative credentials should be protected through strong authentication mechanisms including multi-factor authentication. System administrators should be trained to recognize the risks associated with enabling potentially dangerous features and understand the importance of maintaining the principle of least privilege in all administrative operations. Additionally, vendors should be encouraged to provide more robust cryptographic implementations for password generation algorithms and consider implementing additional security controls to prevent predictable password derivation patterns.