CVE-2020-3151 in Connected Mobile Experiences
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco Connected Mobile Experiences (CMX) could allow an authenticated, local attacker with administrative credentials to bypass restrictions on the CLI. The vulnerability is due to insufficient security mechanisms in the restricted shell implementation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted commands to the CLI. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to escape the restricted shell and execute a set of normally unauthorized commands with the privileges of a non-root user. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need to have valid administrative credentials.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/10/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-3151 resides within the command line interface of Cisco Connected Mobile Experiences (CMX) platform, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of the system's access controls. This issue affects Cisco CMX versions prior to 10.2.1 and demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the implementation of restricted shell environments that are designed to limit administrative access to authorized commands only. The vulnerability specifically targets the security mechanisms that govern command execution within the CLI, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to circumvent intended access restrictions and escalate their privileges within the system.
The technical flaw manifests through insufficient validation and enforcement mechanisms within the restricted shell implementation, allowing an attacker with valid administrative credentials to craft specific commands that bypass the intended security boundaries. This vulnerability operates at the intersection of inadequate input sanitization and flawed privilege management, where the restricted shell fails to properly validate command sequences that could potentially escape the confined environment. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-284 which addresses improper access control, specifically focusing on inadequate restrictions on command execution within administrative interfaces. Attackers can exploit this weakness by sending carefully constructed command sequences that manipulate the shell environment, effectively breaking out of the restricted context and gaining access to unauthorized command sets.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it allows attackers to execute unauthorized commands with non-root user privileges, creating a persistent threat vector within the CMX environment. This escalation capability enables attackers to potentially access sensitive system information, modify configurations, or manipulate network data flows that should be restricted to authorized administrative users only. The vulnerability creates a persistent backdoor that could be leveraged for further attacks within the network infrastructure, as the compromised CMX system could serve as a launching point for lateral movement and additional compromise attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and command execution within the system, potentially enabling adversaries to establish persistence and expand their access within the network environment.
Organizations utilizing Cisco CMX platforms should immediately implement mitigation strategies that include applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates to address the vulnerability. The recommended approach involves upgrading to Cisco CMX version 10.2.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to strengthen the restricted shell implementation and properly enforce command execution restrictions. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing additional monitoring and logging mechanisms to detect unauthorized command execution attempts, particularly focusing on unusual command sequences that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of robust access control implementations and proper security boundary enforcement within administrative interfaces, as highlighted in industry best practices for secure system design and the principles outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework for protecting critical infrastructure components.