CVE-2019-1675 in Aironet Active Sensor
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the default configuration of the Cisco Aironet Active Sensor could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to restart the sensor. The vulnerability is due to a default local account with a static password. The account has privileges only to reboot the device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by guessing the account name and password to access the CLI. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to reboot the device repeatedly, creating a denial of service (DoS) condition. It is not possible to change the configuration or view sensitive data with this account. Versions prior to DNAC1.2.8 are affected.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-1675 represents a critical security weakness in Cisco Aironet Active Sensor devices that stems from poor default configuration practices. This flaw exists within the device's authentication mechanism where a default local account is configured with a static, well-known password that remains unchanged across deployments. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-798 due to the use of hard-coded credentials that persist in the device configuration. The affected devices operate with versions prior to DNAC1.2.8, indicating that this issue has been present for several years and likely affects numerous deployments across enterprise networks. The default account configuration violates fundamental security principles by providing persistent access credentials that attackers can easily discover and exploit without requiring any specialized knowledge or tools.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal effort from an attacker who can simply guess the default account name and password combination to gain access to the device's command-line interface. This access, while limited to reboot operations, provides sufficient capability to create persistent denial of service conditions that can severely impact network monitoring operations. The attacker's ability to repeatedly reboot the device creates a sustained DoS scenario that can disrupt network visibility and monitoring capabilities that the Aironet Active Sensor provides. The vulnerability demonstrates a clear violation of the principle of least privilege, as the default account possesses only reboot privileges but could potentially be leveraged for more serious attacks if the device configuration were to change or if additional vulnerabilities were discovered. Network defenders must understand that even seemingly limited access can create significant operational impacts when combined with the ability to repeatedly disrupt service.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise network security monitoring capabilities that organizations rely upon for threat detection and response. When an attacker can repeatedly reboot the sensor device, they effectively create a persistent availability issue that can mask legitimate security events or prevent the detection of actual threats. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks, as it enables an attacker to disrupt network monitoring services through repeated device reboots. The attack surface is particularly concerning for organizations that depend on continuous network visibility, as the disruption can occur without any indication of compromise or detection by standard security monitoring tools. The vulnerability also represents a configuration management failure that can lead to cascading security issues when the device is part of larger security architectures that depend on its continuous operation.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies that include updating to the patched version DNAC1.2.8 or later, which resolves the default credential issue through proper account configuration. The recommended remediation involves disabling or removing the default account entirely and implementing strong authentication mechanisms that comply with NIST SP 800-63B standards for identity management. Network administrators must conduct comprehensive audits of all affected devices to ensure that default accounts have been properly secured or removed from the system configuration. Additionally, organizations should implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to these devices, as the vulnerability creates a predictable attack vector that can be easily automated by threat actors. The incident highlights the importance of regular security assessments and configuration reviews to prevent similar issues from arising in other network components that may contain hard-coded credentials or default access accounts.