CVE-2021-34702 in Identity Services Engine
Summary
by MITRE • 10/07/2021
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to obtain sensitive information. This vulnerability is due to improper enforcement of administrator privilege levels for low-value sensitive data. An attacker with read-only administrator access to the web-based management interface could exploit this vulnerability by browsing to the page that contains the sensitive data. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to collect sensitive information regarding the configuration of the system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/09/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-34702 represents a critical privilege escalation issue within Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) web-based management interface. This flaw stems from inadequate enforcement of administrative privilege levels, creating a scenario where less privileged users can access sensitive system information that should be restricted to higher-level administrators. The vulnerability specifically affects the authorization mechanisms within the ISE platform, which is designed to manage network access control and identity services across enterprise environments. Organizations relying on Cisco ISE for network security orchestration and access control are particularly at risk when this vulnerability remains unpatched.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a simple web interface navigation attack vector where an authenticated attacker with read-only administrator privileges can directly access pages containing sensitive configuration data. This represents a classic case of insufficient access control enforcement, where the system fails to properly validate user permissions against specific data resources. The flaw allows attackers to bypass intended security boundaries and collect information about the ISE system configuration, potentially including network topology details, user permissions, authentication settings, and other sensitive operational data. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms, and demonstrates how weak privilege enforcement can lead to information disclosure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with valuable intelligence for planning more sophisticated attacks against the network infrastructure. An attacker with read-only access can gather configuration details that may reveal network segments, user groups, authentication methods, and system interdependencies that could be leveraged in subsequent exploitation phases. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations using ISE for critical network security functions, as it undermines the principle of least privilege that should govern access to sensitive administrative interfaces. The attack requires minimal skill level and can be executed remotely, making it an attractive target for threat actors seeking to expand their operational knowledge of targeted environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-34702 should prioritize immediate implementation of available security patches from Cisco, as the vendor has released updates addressing the privilege enforcement flaw. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring of administrative interface access patterns to detect anomalous navigation behaviors that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and enhanced logging of administrative activities can help identify unauthorized access to sensitive configuration pages. Security teams should review and enforce strict privilege assignments, ensuring that users have only the minimum access necessary for their roles. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of regular security assessments of administrative interfaces and proper implementation of role-based access control mechanisms. The incident also highlights the need for comprehensive security awareness training for administrators to recognize potential exploitation attempts and maintain proper access control practices. Organizations should consider implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative access and regularly audit administrative user permissions to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive system information.