CVE-2018-0428 : Security Advisory and Response

Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) is affected by a privilege escalation vulnerability due to an issue in the account management subsystem.

Understanding CVE-2018-0428

This CVE involves a flaw in the account management subsystem of Cisco Web Security Appliance that could allow a local attacker with authenticated access to elevate their privileges to root.

What is CVE-2018-0428?

The vulnerability arises from the incorrect implementation of access controls within the WSA, enabling an attacker to exploit this flaw by authenticating themselves as a specific user to gain the necessary information to escalate their privileges to root.

The Impact of CVE-2018-0428

If successfully exploited, the attacker can escape the CLI subshell and execute commands at the system-level on the underlying operating system with root privileges.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-0428

This section provides more in-depth technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows an authenticated local attacker to enhance their privileges to root by exploiting the account management subsystem of Cisco Web Security Appliance.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Web Security Appliance
Vendor: Cisco Systems, Inc.
Affected Version: Unspecified

Exploitation Mechanism

Attacker needs valid administrator credentials for authentication
Incorrect implementation of access controls is the root cause
Attacker authenticates as a specific user to elevate privileges to root in a separate login shell

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2018-0428, follow these mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Monitor Cisco's security advisories for patches
Restrict access to trusted administrators
Implement strong password policies

Long-Term Security Practices

Regular security training for staff
Conduct security audits and assessments

Patching and Updates

Apply relevant patches and updates provided by Cisco Systems, Inc.