CVE-2020-3240 in UCS Director
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple vulnerabilities in the REST API of Cisco UCS Director and Cisco UCS Director Express for Big Data may allow a remote attacker to bypass authentication or conduct directory traversal attacks on an affected device. For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details section of this advisory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-3240 affects Cisco UCS Director and Cisco UCS Director Express for Big Data platforms, representing a critical security weakness in the REST API implementation that exposes organizations to significant remote attack vectors. These platforms serve as unified computing management solutions that orchestrate and manage data center infrastructure, making them attractive targets for cyber adversaries seeking unauthorized access to enterprise computing environments. The affected systems operate within enterprise data centers and cloud environments where they manage critical infrastructure components including servers, storage, and networking resources, making the exploitation of these vulnerabilities particularly dangerous for organizations relying on Cisco's unified computing solutions.
The technical flaw manifests through two primary attack vectors that leverage weaknesses in the REST API authentication mechanisms and file system access controls. The authentication bypass vulnerability allows remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to the system without proper credentials, while the directory traversal capability enables attackers to access files and directories outside the intended scope of the application. These vulnerabilities stem from insufficient input validation and improper access control implementations within the REST API endpoints that handle administrative and operational functions. The issue is particularly concerning because it affects the core management interface of the platform, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges and gain complete administrative control over the managed infrastructure. This weakness aligns with CWE-285 which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems, and represents a classic example of how inadequate security controls in API implementations can lead to severe privilege escalation scenarios.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-3240 extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to conduct comprehensive reconnaissance of the managed infrastructure, access sensitive configuration data, modify system settings, and potentially disrupt critical business operations. Organizations using these platforms may face data breaches, system compromise, and service disruption that could affect thousands of connected devices and applications. The remote nature of these vulnerabilities means that attackers can exploit them from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access or local network presence, significantly expanding the attack surface. This vulnerability particularly impacts enterprises that rely on automated infrastructure management and orchestration, where the compromise of the management platform could cascade into broader system failures and data loss incidents.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-3240 should include immediate implementation of Cisco's official security patches and updates, which address the underlying authentication bypass and directory traversal issues through proper input validation and access control enforcement. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to the affected systems, deploy web application firewalls to monitor and filter API traffic, and conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify any potential compromise indicators. The remediation process must include disabling unnecessary REST API endpoints, implementing strong authentication mechanisms including multi-factor authentication, and establishing robust monitoring procedures to detect anomalous API access patterns. Additionally, security teams should review and update their incident response procedures to ensure rapid detection and containment of potential exploitation attempts. These measures align with ATT&CK framework techniques related to credential access and privilege escalation, ensuring that organizations maintain defense-in-depth strategies against similar vulnerabilities in their infrastructure management systems.