Vulnerabilities > CVE-2017-6768 - Untrusted Search Path vulnerability in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller
Attack vector
LOCAL Attack complexity
LOW Privileges required
LOW Confidentiality impact
HIGH Integrity impact
HIGH Availability impact
HIGH Summary
A vulnerability in the build procedure for certain executable system files installed at boot time on Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) devices could allow an authenticated, local attacker to gain root-level privileges. The vulnerability is due to a custom executable system file that was built to use relative search paths for libraries without properly validating the library to be loaded. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating to the device and loading a malicious library that can escalate the privilege level. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to gain root-level privileges and take full control of the device. The attacker must have valid user credentials to log in to the device. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvc96087. Known Affected Releases: 1.1(0.920a), 1.1(1j), 1.1(3f); 1.2 Base, 1.2(2), 1.2(3), 1.2.2; 1.3(1), 1.3(2), 1.3(2f); 2.0 Base, 2.0(1).
Vulnerable Configurations
Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
- Leveraging/Manipulating Configuration File Search Paths This attack loads a malicious resource into a program's standard path used to bootstrap and/or provide contextual information for a program like a path variable or classpath. J2EE applications and other component based applications that are built from multiple binaries can have very long list of dependencies to execute. If one of these libraries and/or references is controllable by the attacker then application controls can be circumvented by the attacker. A standard UNIX path looks similar to this If the attacker modifies the path variable to point to a locale that includes malicious resources then the user unwittingly can execute commands on the attackers' behalf: This is a form of usurping control of the program and the attack can be done on the classpath, database resources, or any other resources built from compound parts. At runtime detection and blocking of this attack is nearly impossible, because the configuration allows execution.
Nessus
| NASL family | CISCO |
| NASL id | CISCO-SA-20170816-APIC2-APPLICATION_POLICY_INFRASTRUCTURE_CONTROLLER.NASL |
| description | According to its self-reported version, the Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) is affected by one or more vulnerabilities. Please see the included Cisco BIDs and the Cisco Security Advisory for more information. |
| last seen | 2020-06-01 |
| modified | 2020-06-02 |
| plugin id | 102779 |
| published | 2017-08-25 |
| reporter | This script is Copyright (C) 2017-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof. |
| source | https://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/102779 |
| title | Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Custom Binary Privilege Escalation Vulnerability |
| code | |