CVE-2019-12700 in Firepower Threat Defense
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the configuration of the Pluggable Authentication Module (PAM) used in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software, Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) Software, and Cisco FXOS Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability is due to improper resource management in the context of user session management. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by connecting to an affected system and performing many simultaneous successful Secure Shell (SSH) logins. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to exhaust system resources and cause the device to reload, resulting in a DoS condition. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker needs valid user credentials on the system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-12700 represents a critical resource management flaw within the Pluggable Authentication Module implementation across multiple Cisco security platforms including Firepower Threat Defense Software, Firepower Management Center Software, and FXOS Software. This weakness manifests in the improper handling of user session management processes, creating a pathway for authenticated remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks against targeted systems. The vulnerability specifically impacts the PAM configuration where insufficient resource allocation and cleanup mechanisms fail to properly manage concurrent user sessions, leading to system resource exhaustion under malicious exploitation conditions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess valid authentication credentials, establishing a baseline requirement for authenticated access. However, once credentials are obtained, the attacker can leverage the flaw by initiating numerous simultaneous successful SSH login attempts against the vulnerable system. This coordinated approach to session establishment creates a resource exhaustion scenario where the system's memory and processing capacity become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of concurrent authenticated sessions. The improper resource management within the PAM framework fails to implement adequate session limiting or resource throttling mechanisms, allowing the attacker to consume available system resources at an accelerated rate.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as successful exploitation results in complete device reload operations that effectively render the security appliance non-functional. This DoS condition forces administrators to manually intervene in the recovery process, potentially disrupting network security operations and creating window of vulnerability during system restoration. The cascading effect of such an attack can compromise network visibility and threat detection capabilities, as the affected security appliances become temporarily unavailable to monitor and mitigate network threats. Organizations relying on these Cisco platforms for network security may experience significant operational disruption, particularly in environments where these appliances serve as primary security controls.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-12700 should focus on implementing robust session management policies and resource allocation controls within the PAM configuration. Network administrators should establish session limits and implement automatic session cleanup mechanisms to prevent resource exhaustion from unauthorized exploitation attempts. The implementation of rate limiting for authentication attempts and connection monitoring can help detect and prevent malicious exploitation patterns. Additionally, organizations should ensure that all affected Cisco platforms receive appropriate software updates and patches as provided by Cisco Security Advisories. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which addresses improper resource management, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service, emphasizing the need for comprehensive defensive measures including monitoring for unusual authentication patterns and implementing proper access controls to limit credential exposure.