CVE-2019-16003 in UCS Director
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco UCS Director could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to download system log files from an affected device. The vulnerability is due to an issue in the authentication logic of the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted request to the web interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to download log files if they were previously generated by an administrator.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-16003 affects Cisco UCS Director, a comprehensive infrastructure management platform designed to orchestrate and manage data center resources. This web-based management interface serves as a critical control point for administrators to monitor and configure complex IT environments, making it a prime target for malicious actors seeking unauthorized access to sensitive operational data. The flaw resides within the authentication mechanisms that govern access to system resources, specifically impacting the web interface's ability to properly validate user credentials and session states.
This security weakness stems from inadequate authentication logic implementation within the web-based management interface of Cisco UCS Director. The vulnerability manifests when the system fails to properly enforce authentication requirements for accessing sensitive system log files, creating a path for unauthenticated attackers to bypass normal access controls. The flaw allows an attacker to exploit the system through crafted HTTP requests that manipulate the authentication flow, effectively granting access to previously generated log files without proper authorization. This represents a classic case of insufficient authentication checks that violates fundamental security principles.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized file access, as system logs typically contain sensitive information about administrative activities, system configurations, and potential security events. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability could gain insights into system administration practices, identify potential security weaknesses, and potentially discover other vulnerabilities within the infrastructure. The ability to download log files provides attackers with valuable reconnaissance data that could facilitate more sophisticated attacks, including privilege escalation attempts or targeted social engineering campaigns. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on Cisco UCS Director for critical infrastructure management, as it undermines the integrity of their access control mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2019-16003 requires an attacker to send specifically crafted requests to the web interface without prior authentication credentials, leveraging the flawed authentication logic to access protected resources. This aligns with attack patterns commonly associated with weak authentication vulnerabilities and represents a significant risk to organizations that have not implemented proper network segmentation or additional access controls. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and authentication flow design, as outlined in CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in the context of broader attack frameworks such as those described in the MITRE ATT&CK matrix under the credential access and defense evasion tactics.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of Cisco's security advisory patches and updates, which address the authentication logic flaw through proper access control enforcement. Network segmentation should be implemented to limit access to the web-based management interface to authorized administrative networks only, while additional monitoring should be deployed to detect unusual access patterns or unauthorized attempts to access log files. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify other potential authentication weaknesses within their infrastructure and implement proper logging and alerting mechanisms for suspicious activities. The remediation process should align with industry best practices for vulnerability management and security hardening as outlined in frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 standards.