CVE-2019-12682 in FirePOWER Management Center
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple vulnerabilities in the web-based management interface of Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary SQL injections on an affected device. These vulnerabilities exist due to improper input validation. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by sending crafted SQL queries to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to view information that they are not authorized to view, make changes to the system that they are not authorized to make, and execute commands within the underlying operating system that may affect the availability of the device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/26/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2019-12682 represents a critical security flaw in Cisco Firepower Management Center software that exposes organizations to significant operational risks through unauthorized remote access capabilities. This vulnerability specifically targets the web-based management interface of the Firepower Management Center, which serves as the central control point for managing Cisco's next-generation firewall appliances. The affected system operates as a critical component in enterprise network security infrastructure, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could compromise the entire security posture of organizations relying on Cisco's firewalls. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing, creating an environment where malicious actors can inject arbitrary SQL commands into the system's database layer.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows a classic SQL injection attack pattern where an authenticated remote attacker can manipulate the web interface to execute malicious SQL queries against the underlying database. This flaw occurs because the application does not adequately validate or escape input parameters that are directly incorporated into database queries without proper sanitization. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authentication to exploit, meaning that an attacker who has obtained valid credentials can leverage this weakness to escalate privileges and gain deeper access to the system. The attack vector involves crafting specifically formatted input through the web interface that bypasses normal input validation checks and directly influences the database execution layer, allowing for arbitrary code execution within the operating system context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized data access, as it enables full system compromise through command execution capabilities that can affect device availability and integrity. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can potentially view sensitive configuration data, modify firewall rules, access administrative functions, and execute commands that may lead to complete system compromise. The implications for enterprise security are severe as the Firepower Management Center serves as the central point for managing multiple firewalls and security policies, making this a potential gateway for widespread network compromise. Organizations may experience denial of service conditions, unauthorized access to network traffic monitoring capabilities, and potential data exfiltration from the security infrastructure itself. The vulnerability's impact is further amplified by the fact that it affects the management interface, which typically requires elevated privileges and contains comprehensive administrative controls.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying Cisco's security patches and updates as released through their official advisory channels, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the management interface, and establishing strict access controls with multi-factor authentication for all administrative accounts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in system design. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques such as T1078 for valid accounts and T1046 for remote services, while the exploitation process aligns with T1213 for data from information repositories. Additional defensive measures should include implementing web application firewalls to monitor for suspicious SQL injection patterns, conducting regular security assessments of the management interface, and establishing network monitoring to detect anomalous database access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts and maintain comprehensive audit trails of all administrative activities within the Firepower Management Center environment.