CVE-2023-20210 in BroadWorks
Summary
by MITRE • 07/12/2023
A vulnerability in Cisco BroadWorks could allow an authenticated, local attacker to elevate privileges to the root user on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation by the operating system CLI. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by issuing a crafted command to the affected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute commands as the root user. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must have valid BroadWorks administrative privileges on the affected device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2023
This vulnerability resides within Cisco BroadWorks, a comprehensive communication platform that serves as a central hub for enterprise voice and video services. The flaw manifests as a privilege escalation issue that allows authenticated local attackers to gain root-level access to affected systems. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the operating system command-line interface, creating a pathway for malicious command injection that bypasses normal security controls. The affected device operates under a multi-layered authentication system where administrative privileges are required to access the CLI, yet the input validation fails to properly sanitize user-supplied commands. This represents a critical weakness in the principle of least privilege, as legitimate administrative access can be leveraged to achieve unauthorized root-level system control.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess valid administrative credentials for the BroadWorks system, which provides access to the command-line interface. Once authenticated, the attacker can craft specific commands that exploit the insufficient input validation to escalate privileges. The vulnerability operates at the operating system level where CLI commands are processed, making it particularly dangerous as it allows execution of arbitrary commands with the highest system privileges. The root cause aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and CWE-78, which addresses OS command injection. Attackers can leverage this weakness to execute malicious code, modify system configurations, or establish persistent access to the affected device. The command injection occurs when the system fails to properly validate or escape user inputs before processing them through the operating system shell.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables attackers to fully compromise the affected BroadWorks system. Once root access is achieved, attackers can modify system files, install backdoors, access sensitive communications data, or manipulate the communication infrastructure. This compromise affects the integrity and confidentiality of all services managed by BroadWorks, including voice, video, and messaging systems that organizations depend upon for business continuity. The vulnerability particularly impacts enterprise communication networks where BroadWorks serves as a critical infrastructure component, potentially enabling attackers to disrupt services or gain access to sensitive corporate communications. Organizations using this platform face significant risk to their network security posture, as the compromised device can serve as a foothold for lateral movement within the enterprise network.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch application from Cisco, which addresses the input validation weakness in the operating system CLI. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit administrative access to only authorized personnel. Regular security audits and monitoring of CLI activities can help detect anomalous command execution patterns. The implementation of principle of least privilege should ensure that administrative accounts have only necessary permissions for their roles. Additionally, organizations should consider deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify command injection attempts and monitor for suspicious root-level activities. Security awareness training for administrators should emphasize the importance of secure command execution and the risks associated with improper input handling. The vulnerability also highlights the need for regular security assessments of critical infrastructure components and adherence to security frameworks such as NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO 27001 standards.