CVE-2020-3250 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-2020-3250 affects Cisco UCS Director and Cisco UCS Director Express for Big Data products, representing a critical security flaw in the REST API implementation that exposes organizations to significant remote attack vectors. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and authentication mechanisms within the web application interface, creating opportunities for unauthorized access and system compromise. The affected systems process REST API requests without proper sanitization of user-supplied input, which allows malicious actors to manipulate API endpoints through crafted requests that can bypass authentication mechanisms or execute directory traversal operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves leveraging weaknesses in the application's request processing logic to manipulate API calls and gain unauthorized access to system resources. Attackers can construct malicious API requests that exploit insufficient validation of input parameters, enabling them to bypass authentication checks and gain access to restricted functionality. The directory traversal component of this vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate file paths through API calls, potentially accessing sensitive files or directories that should be protected from external access. This represents a classic implementation flaw where the system fails to properly validate and sanitize all user inputs before processing them, creating pathways for attackers to escalate privileges or access restricted data.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-3250 extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with potential for lateral movement within network environments and data exfiltration capabilities. Organizations utilizing these Cisco UCS Director products face risks of credential theft, system compromise, and potential disruption of critical infrastructure operations. The vulnerability affects both the standard UCS Director and the Express for Big Data variants, indicating a widespread impact across Cisco's infrastructure management solutions. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could potentially access sensitive configuration data, user credentials, or operational information that could be used for further attacks within the enterprise network, making this a particularly dangerous flaw from a security perspective.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including disabling unnecessary REST API endpoints, implementing robust input validation controls, and applying the latest security patches provided by Cisco. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication mechanisms. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1190 for exploitation of remote services and T1078 for valid accounts usage. Organizations should also consider network segmentation to limit access to affected systems, implement web application firewalls to detect and block malicious API requests, and conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify additional vulnerabilities in their infrastructure management systems. The remediation process requires careful attention to ensure that API endpoint configurations are properly secured while maintaining necessary functionality for legitimate users.