CVE-2019-1940 : What You Need to Know

Cisco Industrial Network Director Web Services Management Agent Unauthorized Information Disclosure Vulnerability

Understanding CVE-2019-1940

An issue has been identified in the Web Services Management Agent (WSMA) feature of Cisco Industrial Network Director (IND), allowing a remote attacker to gain unauthorized read access to sensitive data.

What is CVE-2019-1940?

The vulnerability in Cisco Industrial Network Director (IND) enables attackers to exploit insufficient X.509 certificate validation during WSMA connection setup, potentially leading to man-in-the-middle attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2019-1940

CVSS Base Score: 5.3 (Medium Severity)
Confidentiality Impact: High
Successful exploitation could allow attackers to decrypt confidential information on affected software.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-1940

The following technical details provide insight into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

Attackers can use an invalid X.509 certificate to gain unauthorized read access to sensitive data.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Cisco Industrial Network Director
Vendor: Cisco
Versions Affected: Preceding 1.7

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: High
Attack Vector: Network
User Interaction: Required
Privileges Required: None
Scope: Unchanged
Exploitation requires providing a manipulated X.509 certificate during WSMA connection setup.

Mitigation and Prevention

Taking immediate steps and implementing long-term security practices are crucial to mitigate the vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable WSMA feature if not essential
Monitor network traffic for signs of exploitation
Apply vendor-provided patches or updates

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch software
Implement network segmentation and access controls
Conduct security awareness training for employees

Patching and Updates

Apply the latest updates from Cisco to address the vulnerability