CVE-2020-3374 in SD-WAN vManage
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco SD-WAN vManage Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to bypass authorization, enabling them to access sensitive information, modify the system configuration, or impact the availability of the affected system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient authorization checking on the affected system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP requests to the web-based management interface of an affected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to gain privileges beyond what would normally be authorized for their configured user authorization level. The attacker may be able to access sensitive information, modify the system configuration, or impact the availability of the affected system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-3374 resides within the web-based management interface of Cisco SD-WAN vManage Software, representing a critical authorization bypass flaw that fundamentally undermines the security posture of network infrastructure. This weakness specifically targets the authentication and authorization mechanisms that are essential for protecting enterprise network management systems. The vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of user privileges during web interface interactions, creating a pathway for malicious actors to escalate their access rights beyond the intended authorization levels. The affected software operates within the SD-WAN ecosystem, which is critical for managing distributed network connections and ensuring secure communication across enterprise environments. Organizations relying on Cisco vManage for their software-defined wide area network operations face significant risk when this vulnerability remains unaddressed, as it directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of network management functions.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2020-3374 occurs through carefully crafted HTTP requests that manipulate the web interface's authorization checks. Attackers can leverage this flaw to bypass normal access controls and gain elevated privileges that should only be available to administrators or users with specific authorization levels. This authorization bypass enables attackers to perform actions such as reading sensitive configuration data, modifying network policies, adding or removing network devices, and potentially disrupting service availability through configuration changes. The vulnerability specifically affects the web-based management interface, which serves as the primary point of interaction for network administrators to configure and monitor their SD-WAN environments. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation and insufficient privilege enforcement mechanisms that are fundamental requirements for secure web application development. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-285, which addresses insufficient authorization checks in software systems. The attack vector requires an authenticated session, meaning that an attacker must first obtain valid credentials before exploiting this specific weakness, though the privilege escalation capability makes the initial compromise more dangerous.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-3374 extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to fundamentally compromise the security and integrity of entire SD-WAN deployments. Organizations may experience unauthorized data access, configuration tampering, and potential service disruption that could affect business continuity across distributed network environments. The vulnerability's ability to bypass authorization checks means that attackers could potentially access sensitive information such as network topology details, user credentials, and configuration parameters that are typically restricted to authorized personnel only. Network availability could be compromised through malicious configuration changes that disrupt routing, authentication, or other critical network functions. The attack scenario aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting, as the vulnerability allows attackers to escalate privileges within the authenticated session. This weakness particularly affects enterprises that rely on centralized network management for their SD-WAN infrastructure, as it creates a single point of failure that could be exploited to gain control over critical network operations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Cisco, which address the authorization bypass vulnerability through proper privilege validation mechanisms. Network segmentation and access controls should be enhanced to limit exposure of the vManage interface to trusted networks only, while implementing additional monitoring for suspicious HTTP request patterns. Regular security audits of the management interface should be conducted to identify any unauthorized access attempts or privilege escalation activities. The remediation efforts should include reviewing user access controls and ensuring that the principle of least privilege is enforced throughout the SD-WAN management environment. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter HTTP requests to the affected interface. Additionally, organizations should review their incident response procedures to ensure readiness for potential exploitation of this vulnerability, as the impact could be severe enough to require immediate emergency response protocols. The vulnerability highlights the importance of continuous security testing and validation of authentication mechanisms in enterprise network management systems.