CVE-2018-15424 in Identity Services Engine
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system of an affected device with the privileges of the web server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-15424 represents a critical command injection flaw within Cisco Identity Services Engine's web-based management interface. This issue affects the enterprise network access control platform that is widely deployed in corporate environments for identity management and network security enforcement. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the web server component that processes user-supplied data through the management interface. Attackers who have authenticated access to the ISE web interface can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input that bypasses normal security controls and executes arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system. The flaw specifically targets the privilege escalation aspect of the system, allowing an authenticated attacker to gain elevated privileges equivalent to those of the web server process, which typically operates with significant system-level access rights.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-94 categories, representing command injection and code injection weaknesses respectively. These classifications indicate that the flaw enables an attacker to inject and execute arbitrary commands through the web interface, bypassing normal application security controls. The vulnerability operates at the application layer where user inputs are processed without proper sanitization or validation, creating an attack surface that allows for arbitrary code execution. The web server component in question likely processes user-provided parameters through methods that directly pass these inputs to system commands without adequate filtering or escaping mechanisms. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in network security infrastructure devices because it allows attackers who have already gained initial access to escalate their privileges and potentially compromise the entire network security ecosystem.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-15424 extends beyond simple command execution, as it fundamentally undermines the security posture of affected organizations. Once exploited, the vulnerability provides attackers with the ability to perform actions such as modifying network access policies, accessing sensitive user data, installing backdoors, or even taking complete control of the ISE appliance. This capability enables attackers to disrupt network access controls, potentially allowing unauthorized users to bypass security measures or to gain access to restricted network segments. The attack vector requires only authenticated access to the web interface, which means that credentials obtained through phishing, credential stuffing, or other initial compromise techniques can be leveraged to achieve full system control. Organizations relying on ISE for network security enforcement face significant risk as this vulnerability could allow attackers to undermine the very security controls that are meant to protect their networks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching and access control improvements. Cisco released security advisories and patches that address the command injection flaw by implementing proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the web server component. Organizations should prioritize applying these patches as soon as possible, as the vulnerability has been actively exploited in the wild. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit the attack surface, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to the ISE management interface. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by restricting administrative access to the web interface and implementing multi-factor authentication for all administrative accounts. Additionally, organizations should monitor network traffic for suspicious command execution patterns and implement intrusion detection systems that can identify attempts to exploit this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of attack under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the use of web application vulnerabilities to gain elevated system privileges, making it essential for security teams to understand both the technical details and the broader attack patterns associated with such exploits.