CVE-2018-15375 in IOS
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the embedded test subsystem of Cisco IOS Software for Cisco 800 Series Industrial Integrated Services Routers could allow an authenticated, local attacker to write arbitrary values to arbitrary locations in the memory space of an affected device. The vulnerability is due to the presence of certain test commands that were intended to be available only in internal development builds of the affected software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by using these commands on an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to write arbitrary values to arbitrary locations in the memory space of the affected device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/30/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-15375 represents a critical security flaw within the embedded test subsystem of Cisco IOS Software running on Cisco 800 Series Industrial Integrated Services Routers. This issue stems from the improper inclusion of internal development commands in production software builds, creating an unauthorized attack vector that significantly compromises device security. The flaw exists in the test subsystem that was designed exclusively for internal development and debugging purposes, yet somehow made its way into commercial deployments, exposing organizations to potential exploitation by malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability lies in the presence of test commands that should have remained restricted to development environments but were instead accessible to authenticated users within the router's operational environment. These commands allow an authenticated local attacker to perform memory manipulation operations that write arbitrary data to any memory location within the affected device. This capability directly violates fundamental security principles by enabling attackers to overwrite critical system components, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability operates at the kernel level where memory management controls are implemented, making it particularly dangerous as it can target system-critical memory regions that control device functionality and security mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables attackers to fundamentally alter the device's operational state and potentially gain persistent control over industrial network infrastructure. Industrial Integrated Services Routers serve as critical components in industrial control systems and network infrastructure, making them prime targets for attackers seeking to disrupt operations or establish persistent access points within industrial environments. The memory corruption capabilities could lead to system instability, denial of service conditions, or even complete device compromise, which poses significant risks to industrial operations and cybersecurity posture. This vulnerability directly aligns with CWE-254 and CWE-787 categories, representing weaknesses in security features and improper access control that allow memory corruption through unauthorized commands.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigation strategies focusing on access control and software lifecycle management. The primary recommendation involves disabling or removing the test subsystem entirely from production deployments, as these commands should never be present in operational environments. Network segmentation and least privilege access controls should be enforced to limit user access to only necessary administrative functions. Additionally, regular software updates and patch management processes should be implemented to ensure that development-only features are not inadvertently included in production releases. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure software development lifecycle practices and proper code review processes, as highlighted by ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and defense evasion. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts and memory manipulation activities that could indicate exploitation attempts, ensuring comprehensive protection against this and similar vulnerabilities in industrial network environments.