CVE-2017-12350 : What You Need to Know

Cisco Umbrella Insights Virtual Appliance allows an authenticated attacker to gain root access due to hardcoded credentials.

Understanding CVE-2017-12350

This CVE involves a vulnerability in Cisco Umbrella Insights Virtual Appliances that enables attackers to gain root access through default login credentials.

What is CVE-2017-12350?

An authenticated and local attacker can exploit a flaw in Cisco Umbrella Insights Virtual Appliances to gain root access by using static credentials.
The vulnerability allows attackers to establish a local connection via the hypervisor console and log in with root privileges.
The flaw affects versions 2.1.0 and earlier of the virtual appliance.

The Impact of CVE-2017-12350

Successful exploitation grants the attacker unrestricted access with root privileges on the compromised virtual appliance.
The presence of hardcoded credentials poses a significant security risk to affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-12350

This section provides in-depth technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Cisco Umbrella Insights Virtual Appliances allows authenticated attackers to log in with root privileges using default, unchanging credentials.
The flaw is attributed to the inclusion of static user credentials in the affected virtual appliance.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Cisco Umbrella Insights Virtual Appliance
Versions: Cisco Umbrella Insights Virtual Appliance 2.1.0 and earlier

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by leveraging the hypervisor console to establish a local connection and then using the hardcoded credentials to gain root access.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2017-12350 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Change default credentials on Cisco Umbrella Insights Virtual Appliances to unique, strong passwords.
Monitor and restrict access to the hypervisor console to prevent unauthorized logins.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement regular security audits to identify and address vulnerabilities promptly.
Train personnel on secure password management and access control best practices.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches and updates provided by Cisco to address the hardcoded credentials vulnerability in the affected virtual appliances.