CVE-2019-12689 in FirePOWER Management Center
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the underlying operating system of an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending malicious commands to the web-based management interface of an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the underlying operating system of the affected device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-12689 represents a critical security flaw in Cisco Firepower Management Center software that exposes organizations to significant operational risks. This issue affects the web-based management interface of the FMC platform, which serves as the central control point for managing Cisco Firepower threat defense appliances. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the web interface, creating a pathway for malicious actors to compromise the underlying operating system of affected devices. Organizations relying on this management platform for network security operations face potential exposure to unauthorized code execution, which could result in complete system compromise and data breaches.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the web-based management interface where attackers can submit malicious commands that bypass proper input sanitization. This insufficient input validation creates a command injection scenario where unfiltered user input is directly processed by the system without adequate security checks. The flaw allows authenticated attackers to leverage their access privileges to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary code on the underlying operating system. This represents a classic path to privilege escalation and system compromise, where the initial authentication step provides sufficient access to manipulate the system's command processing mechanisms. The vulnerability affects Cisco Firepower Management Center software versions prior to 6.2.3, making it a significant concern for organizations maintaining older deployments.
From an operational standpoint, the impact of CVE-2019-12689 extends beyond simple code execution to encompass complete system compromise and potential data exfiltration. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability could gain root-level access to the underlying operating system, enabling them to install backdoors, modify security policies, or extract sensitive configuration data. The web-based interface nature of the attack vector means that exploitation can occur remotely, potentially allowing attackers to target multiple devices from a single location. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and availability of network security operations, as compromised management centers could be used to disable security controls or redirect traffic to malicious destinations. The risk is amplified when considering that the FMC serves as the central management point for multiple firewalls, making a single compromise potentially devastating to an entire network security infrastructure.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Cisco Firepower Management Center version 6.2.3 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the input validation deficiencies. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit access to the web-based management interface, implementing the principle of least privilege for administrative accounts. Regular monitoring of system logs for unusual command execution patterns can help detect exploitation attempts, while implementing web application firewalls can provide additional protection layers. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-78 categories related to command injection and improper input validation, and maps to ATT&CK techniques such as T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any other systems that may be exposed to similar input validation flaws, as this type of vulnerability often indicates broader security architecture weaknesses that require systematic remediation across all management interfaces and web applications.