CVE-2024-20374 in Secure Firewall Management Center Software
Summary
by MITRE • 10/23/2024
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) Software, formerly Firepower Management Center Software, could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with Administrator-level privileges to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system.
This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of certain HTTP request parameters that are sent to the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating to the Cisco FMC web-based management interface and sending a crafted HTTP request to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute commands as the root user on the affected device. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need Administrator-level credentials.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/06/2025
This vulnerability exists within the web-based management interface of Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center software, formerly known as Firepower Management Center Software, representing a critical security flaw that could enable remote code execution. The issue stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize HTTP request parameters, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the system through crafted requests. The vulnerability specifically affects the authentication and authorization processes within the web interface, where legitimate administrative credentials are required to establish the initial foothold for exploitation. This represents a significant concern given that the software serves as a central management platform for enterprise security infrastructure, making it an attractive target for sophisticated attackers seeking persistent access to network security controls.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess Administrator-level credentials, which establishes the baseline authentication requirements necessary for the attack vector to be effective. The flaw manifests when the web interface processes HTTP requests containing malformed parameters that bypass input validation checks, ultimately allowing command injection into the underlying operating system. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-74, which describes Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component, and more specifically with CWE-94, which addresses the execution of arbitrary code or commands. The attack chain typically begins with successful authentication, followed by the delivery of crafted HTTP requests that exploit the insufficient validation mechanisms, ultimately resulting in root-level command execution on the target system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables full system compromise with root privileges, potentially allowing attackers to modify firewall policies, access sensitive network data, or establish persistent backdoors within the enterprise security infrastructure. Organizations relying on Cisco FMC for security management face significant risk, as the compromise of this management interface could lead to complete network security control bypass. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not require physical access or network proximity to the affected systems, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network segmentation is not properly implemented. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which covers Command and Scripting Interpreter, and T1078, which addresses Valid Accounts, demonstrating how the vulnerability enables attackers to leverage legitimate administrative access to achieve unauthorized system control.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment from Cisco, which typically addresses the input validation deficiencies through updated software versions. Network administrators should implement additional security controls including strict access controls, multi-factor authentication, and network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of principle of least privilege enforcement, where administrative access should be restricted to only necessary personnel and systems. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious HTTP request patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses in other network management systems, as this type of vulnerability commonly appears in web-based administrative interfaces where proper input sanitization is often overlooked during development phases.