CVE-2024-20486 in Identity Services Engine Software
Summary
by MITRE • 08/21/2024
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attack and perform arbitrary actions on an affected device.
This vulnerability is due to insufficient CSRF protections for the web-based management interface of an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user of the interface to follow a crafted link. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to perform arbitrary actions on the affected device with the privileges of the targeted user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-20486 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within Cisco Identity Services Engine's web-based management interface. This vulnerability stems from inadequate CSRF protection mechanisms that fail to properly validate and authenticate requests originating from the management interface. The flaw specifically affects the web-based management interface of Cisco ISE, which serves as the primary administrative access point for configuring and managing network access policies. The absence of robust CSRF protection allows malicious actors to exploit the interface through deceptive means that manipulate authenticated sessions. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates without requiring authentication credentials from the attacker, relying instead on social engineering techniques to trick legitimate users into executing malicious actions. The web-based management interface typically provides extensive administrative capabilities including policy configuration, user management, and network access control settings, making this vulnerability a significant threat to network security infrastructure. The vulnerability exists at the application layer and specifically targets the authentication and session management components of the web interface.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious link or web page that, when clicked by an authenticated user, automatically submits requests to the ISE management interface. The flaw arises from the lack of proper anti-CSRF tokens or similar protective mechanisms that should validate the origin of requests. When a user navigates to a malicious page or clicks a crafted link, their browser automatically submits requests to the ISE interface using their existing authenticated session. This allows attackers to perform unauthorized actions such as modifying network policies, adding or removing users, changing access controls, or executing administrative commands without needing to authenticate directly. The vulnerability operates because the web interface does not adequately verify that requests originate from legitimate sources within the same context as the authenticated session. This weakness creates a path for attackers to leverage the privileges of legitimate users to perform unauthorized operations on the ISE device, effectively bypassing authentication requirements.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-20486 extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass significant disruption of network security controls and potential compromise of entire network infrastructure. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could modify critical access policies, create backdoor accounts, or disable security controls that protect network access. The consequences could include unauthorized network access, data exfiltration, or complete compromise of the network access control system. The vulnerability's remote nature means attackers can exploit it from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access or network proximity to the affected device. This makes the attack surface extremely broad and difficult to monitor or prevent. Organizations using Cisco ISE for network access control could face severe security implications as the attacker gains the ability to manipulate user access rights, network segmentation policies, and authentication mechanisms. The impact is particularly severe because ISE systems typically serve as central points for enforcing network security policies across enterprise environments, making successful exploitation potentially catastrophic for network security posture.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-20486 should focus on implementing comprehensive CSRF protection measures and network segmentation approaches. Organizations should immediately apply Cisco's security patches and updates to address the vulnerability in the web-based management interface. Network administrators should implement additional security controls such as restricting access to the ISE management interface through firewall rules, implementing network access control lists, and requiring multi-factor authentication for administrative access. The implementation of proper anti-CSRF tokens and validation mechanisms should be enforced throughout the web application to ensure that all requests are properly authenticated and originate from legitimate sources. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in administrative activities and unauthorized access attempts to the management interface. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation strategies to limit direct access to ISE management interfaces and establish secure remote access solutions with additional authentication layers. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352 which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery issues, and it maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through legitimate administrative access. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify the effectiveness of implemented mitigations and identify additional security gaps in the network access control infrastructure.