CVE-2019-1748 in IOS
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the Cisco Network Plug-and-Play (PnP) agent of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data. The vulnerability exists because the affected software insufficiently validates certificates. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by supplying a crafted certificate to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks to decrypt and modify confidential information on user connections to the affected software.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-1748 represents a critical security flaw within Cisco's Network Plug-and-Play agent implementation across IOS and IOS XE software versions. This weakness stems from inadequate certificate validation mechanisms that fail to properly authenticate and verify the legitimacy of digital certificates presented to the system. The vulnerability specifically targets the cryptographic validation processes that should ensure secure communication channels between network devices and their management interfaces. Attackers can exploit this weakness by presenting maliciously crafted certificates to the affected Cisco devices, bypassing the intended security controls that normally protect against unauthorized access attempts.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a man-in-the-middle attack vector where an unauthenticated remote attacker can manipulate the certificate validation process to establish fraudulent communication channels. When the affected Cisco device receives a crafted certificate, the insufficient validation logic fails to detect the malicious nature of the presented credentials, allowing the attacker to intercept, decrypt, and modify confidential information transmitted over user connections. This flaw fundamentally undermines the cryptographic security model that should protect sensitive network communications, creating opportunities for data exfiltration, command injection, and unauthorized system access. The vulnerability operates at the transport layer security validation point where certificates are typically verified before establishing secure communication sessions.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-1748 extends beyond simple data interception to encompass complete compromise of network security controls within affected Cisco deployments. Organizations utilizing vulnerable Cisco IOS and IOS XE systems face potential exposure of confidential network management data, including administrative credentials, configuration files, and sensitive operational information. The vulnerability enables attackers to establish persistent access points within network infrastructure, potentially leading to lateral movement attacks and broader network compromise. Security professionals must consider that this weakness can be exploited without requiring authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous for network administrators who rely on secure management channels for device configuration and monitoring.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-1748 should prioritize immediate software updates from Cisco to address the certificate validation flaws in the Network Plug-and-Play agent. Network administrators must implement comprehensive monitoring of device communications to detect anomalous certificate exchange patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1046 for network service scanning and T1566 for credential harvesting through social engineering. Organizations should also consider implementing additional network segmentation controls and certificate pinning mechanisms to reduce the attack surface and prevent exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of network management interfaces and certificate handling processes are essential to maintain defense in depth against similar vulnerabilities.