CVE-2018-15386 in Digital Network Architecture
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in Cisco Digital Network Architecture (DNA) Center could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication and have direct unauthorized access to critical management functions. The vulnerability is due to an insecure default configuration of the affected system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by directly connecting to the exposed services. An exploit could allow the attacker to retrieve and modify critical system files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/30/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-15386 affects Cisco Digital Network Architecture DNA Center, a network management platform designed to provide centralized control and automation for enterprise networks. This critical security flaw represents a significant risk to organizations relying on Cisco DNA Center for network operations management. The vulnerability stems from an insecure default configuration that fails to properly secure administrative access points, creating an attack surface that can be exploited by remote unauthenticated adversaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the default service configurations that fail to enforce proper authentication mechanisms for critical management functions. When the Cisco DNA Center system is deployed with its default settings, certain management services remain accessible without requiring valid credentials, creating a persistent backdoor that attackers can exploit. This insecure default configuration specifically affects the system's ability to properly authenticate users attempting to access sensitive administrative functions, allowing unauthorized access to critical system files and operations.
From an operational perspective, the impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential data compromise and system integrity violations. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can directly connect to exposed services and gain the ability to retrieve sensitive system files, modify critical network configurations, and potentially escalate their privileges within the network management environment. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers do not require physical access or prior credentials to leverage this vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with exposed network management systems.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and credential access, while also demonstrating characteristics of privilege escalation through insecure default configurations. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in the context of CWE-255 which addresses insecure default passwords and authentication mechanisms. The risk assessment indicates that this vulnerability represents a high-severity threat requiring immediate attention from network administrators and security teams responsible for maintaining network management infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate implementation of proper authentication controls, disabling unnecessary services, and applying Cisco's official security patches and configuration updates. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit exposure of the DNA Center system to untrusted networks. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized access attempts and unusual network activity patterns that may indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. Regular security assessments and configuration reviews should be conducted to ensure that default settings are properly hardened and that the system maintains appropriate security posture against similar threats.