CVE-2019-1841 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Cisco DNA Center Unintended Proxy Via SWIM Import Interface Vulnerability

Understanding CVE-2019-1841

This CVE involves a vulnerability in the Software Image Management feature of Cisco DNA Center that could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to access internal services without additional authentication.

What is CVE-2019-1841?

The vulnerability arises from insufficient validation of user input, enabling an attacker to send arbitrary HTTP requests to internal services, bypassing firewall measures and gaining unauthorized access to internal services. It affects Cisco DNA Center versions older than 1.2.5.

The Impact of CVE-2019-1841

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 6.5, with high confidentiality and integrity impacts. However, it requires high privileges for exploitation and has a low attack complexity.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-1841

Vulnerability Description

The Software Image Management feature of Cisco DNA Center lacks proper user input validation, allowing attackers to send unauthorized HTTP requests to internal services.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Cisco Digital Network Architecture Center (DNA Center)
Vendor: Cisco
Versions Affected: DNAC versions older than 1.2.5

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: High
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Vector String: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Cisco DNA Center to version 1.2.5 or newer to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strong authentication mechanisms for network access.
Regularly review and update security policies and configurations.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches and updates provided by Cisco to address the vulnerability.