CVE-2019-15288 in TelePresence Collaboration Endpoint
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco TelePresence Collaboration Endpoint (CE), Cisco TelePresence Codec (TC), and Cisco RoomOS Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to escalate privileges to an unrestricted user of the restricted shell. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by including specific arguments when opening an SSH connection to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to gain unrestricted user access to the restricted shell of an affected device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/28/2024
This vulnerability exists within the command line interface of Cisco TelePresence Collaboration Endpoint devices, Cisco TelePresence Codec devices, and Cisco RoomOS Software systems. The flaw represents a critical privilege escalation issue that affects devices running these specific software implementations. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the SSH connection handling process, specifically when processing command line arguments during shell initialization. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious SSH connection requests that include specially formatted arguments designed to bypass normal access controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows an authenticated remote attacker to manipulate the restricted shell environment through carefully constructed input parameters. When an SSH connection is established to an affected device, the system processes command line arguments without proper sanitization or validation checks. This insufficient validation creates a pathway for attackers to inject malicious parameters that can modify the shell execution context. The vulnerability specifically targets the restricted shell environment which normally limits user capabilities and access to system resources, but the flawed input handling allows unauthorized elevation of privileges. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-20 category for improper input validation, where the system fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied data before processing it.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with unrestricted access to the device's restricted shell environment. This access level allows unauthorized users to execute arbitrary commands, modify system configurations, access sensitive data, and potentially compromise the entire device. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from anywhere on the network without requiring physical access to the device. This vulnerability particularly affects collaborative communication systems that are often deployed in enterprise environments where they may have access to internal networks and sensitive business information. The attack vector through SSH connections makes it especially dangerous as SSH is commonly used for legitimate administrative access, creating opportunities for attackers to blend malicious activity with normal administrative tasks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of affected devices with the vendor-provided security updates. Network administrators should implement strict SSH access controls including limiting SSH access to trusted IP addresses and implementing multi-factor authentication mechanisms. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by restricting SSH access to only necessary administrative accounts and regularly auditing SSH connection logs for suspicious activity. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to isolate collaboration devices from critical internal systems. Additionally, regular security assessments should include verification of proper input validation in all command line interfaces and shell environments. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the use of command line interfaces for unauthorized access. Regular monitoring of system logs for unusual shell command execution patterns and implementing intrusion detection systems can help identify potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also maintain current vulnerability management processes that include automated scanning for known vulnerabilities in collaboration infrastructure and ensure timely deployment of security patches across all affected systems.