CVE-2019-1654 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies
Learn about CVE-2019-1654 affecting Cisco Aironet Series Access Points. Discover the impact, affected versions, and mitigation steps for this high-severity vulnerability.
A security flaw in the authentication process of the development shell (devshell) for Cisco Aironet Series Access Points (APs) running the Cisco AP-COS operating system could allow a local attacker to gain root access to the Linux OS.
Understanding CVE-2019-1654
This CVE involves a vulnerability in the authentication mechanism of the development shell for Cisco Aironet Series Access Points, potentially leading to unauthorized access.
What is CVE-2019-1654?
The vulnerability allows a local attacker with valid device credentials to access the development shell without proper authentication, potentially resulting in root access to the underlying Linux OS.
The Impact of CVE-2019-1654
- CVSS Base Score: 7.8 (High Severity)
- Attack Vector: Local
- Attack Complexity: Low
- Privileges Required: Low
- Confidentiality Impact: High
- Integrity Impact: High
- Availability Impact: High
Technical Details of CVE-2019-1654
This section provides detailed technical insights into the vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
The flaw arises from inadequate validation of user-supplied input at the CLI authentication prompt for development shell access, allowing unauthorized access to the AP development shell.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: Cisco Aironet Access Point Software
- Vendor: Cisco
- Versions Affected: < 8.3.150.0
Exploitation Mechanism
- An authenticated local attacker can input crafted data at the CLI, bypassing proper authentication and gaining root access to the Linux OS.
Mitigation and Prevention
Protecting systems from CVE-2019-1654 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update affected systems to versions 8.3.150.0 or higher.
- Monitor and restrict access to the development shell.
- Implement strong device credential management.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly review and update access control policies.
- Conduct security training to raise awareness of proper authentication practices.
- Perform periodic security assessments to identify vulnerabilities.
Patching and Updates
- Apply security patches provided by Cisco to address the vulnerability.