Summary

• The Cisco web-browser interface for Cisco access points and Cisco 3200 Series Wireless Mobile Interface Card (WMIC), contains a vulnerability that could, under certain circumstances, remove the default security configuration from the managed access point and allow administrative access without validation of administrative user credentials.

  Cisco has made free software available to address this vulnerability for affected customers. There are workarounds available to mitigate the effects of this vulnerability.

  This advisory is posted at https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20060628-ap.

Affected Products

• This section provides details on affected products.

  Vulnerable Products

  The following access points are affected if running Cisco IOS^® Software Releases 12.3(8)JA, 12.3(8)JA1 or 12.3(8)JK and are configured for web-interface management:

  • 350 Wireless Access Point and Wireless Bridge
    
  • 1100 Wireless Access Point
    
  • 1130 Wireless Access Point
    
  • 1200 Wireless Access Point
    
  • 1240 Wireless Access Point
    
  • 1310 Wireless Bridge
    
  • 1410 Wireless Access Point
    
  • Cisco 3200 Series Wireless Mobile Interface Card (WMIC)
    

  To determine if web-interface management is enabled on a Cisco access point, log in to the device and issue the show ip http server status command. If the output shows either http server status or http secure server status as enabled, web-interface management is enabled. An example is shown below with web-interface management enabled:

  ap#show ip http server status
       HTTP server status: Enabled
       HTTP server port: 80
  [...lines removed...]
       HTTP secure server status: Disabled
       HTTP secure server port: 443
  [...lines removed...]

  Web-interface management (HTTP server) is enabled by default.

  To check the version of Cisco IOS running on the access point:

  • Via Browser—Click on the System Software menu. The Cisco IOS software version will be displayed in the System Software Version field.
    
  • Via Command-Line Interface (CLI)—To determine the software running on a Cisco access point, log in to the device and issue the show version command to display the system banner.
    

  Cisco IOS software will identify itself as "Internetwork Operating System Software" or simply "IOS".

  On the next line of output, the image name will be displayed between parentheses, followed by "Version" and the Cisco IOS release name. Other Cisco devices will not have the show version command or will give different output.

  The following example identifies a Cisco access point running Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(7)JA1 with an installed image name of C1200-K9W7-M:

  ap#show version
  Cisco IOS Software, C1200 Software (C1200-K9W7-M), 
  Version 12.3(7)JA1, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
  Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
  Copyright (c) 1986-2005 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
  Compiled Thu 06-Oct-05 09:40 by evmiller
  !
  [...lines removed...]
  !

  Additional information about Cisco IOS release naming can be found at http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/620/1.html.

  Products Confirmed Not Vulnerable

  These products are not vulnerable:

  • Access points that are not running Cisco IOS software
    
  • Access points that are running any version of Cisco IOS other than Cisco IOS Software Releases 12.3(8)JA, 12.3(8)JA1, or 12.3(8)JK
    
  • Access points with disabled web-interface management (both HTTP and HTTP secure)
    
  • All Cisco access points running in lightweight mode
    

Details

• The web-browser interface contains management pages that are used to change the wireless device settings, upgrade firmware, and monitor and configure other wireless devices on the network. The web-browser interface is enabled by default, and is indicated by the configuration command ip http server or ip http secure-server.

  An access point running a default configuration will use the default enable secret password for administrative access. This can be modified via the web-browser interface tab Security > Admin Access > Default Authentication (Global Password) or via the CLI with the configuration command enable secret [new_secret] .

  Local User List Only (Individual Passwords) allows administrators of the access points to define a local unique username/password database for their administrators, so that a common global password is not shared.

  A vulnerability exists in the access point web-browser interface when Security > Admin Access is changed from Default Authentication (Global Password) to Local User List Only (Individual Passwords). This results in the access point being re-configured with no security, either Global Password or Individual Passwords, enabled. This allows for open access to the access point via the web-browser interface or via the console port with no validation of user credentials.

  Access points configured for Local User List Only (Individual Passwords) and running non-vulnerable versions of Cisco IOS which are subsequently upgraded to a vulnerable version of IOS are not affected by this vulnerability as long as the configuration is not altered after the upgrade.

  This vulnerability is documented by Cisco bug ID CSCsd67403 ( registered customers only) —Cannot Select Option to Authenticate using Local User List Only.

Workarounds

• Either of the following workarounds and mitigations may be used to help mitigate the effects of this vulnerability:

  • Disable Web-Based Management
    To prevent the use of the web-browser interface via:
    - Web-Based Management—Select the Disable Web-Based Management check box on the Services > HTTP-Web Server page and click Apply.
    - CLI—Log in to the device and issue these configuration commands (save the configuration upon exiting):
    

    ap(config)#no ip http server
    ap(config)#no ip http secure-server
    ap(config)#exit
    

  • Configure via CLI
    Enabling Local User List Only (Individual Passwords) via the CLI rather than the web-browser interface will provide the access point with the desired protected configuration. Log in to the device and issue these configuration commands (save the configuration upon exiting):
    

    ap#configure terminal
    
    !--- Setup the username password pair first.
    
    ap(config)#username test privilege 15 password test
    
    !--- Enable AAA.
    
    ap(config)#aaa new-model
    
    !--- Enable aaa authentication to the local database.
    
    ap(config)#aaa authentication login default local
    
    !--- Enable aaa authorization to the local database.
    
    ap(config)#aaa authorization exec default local
    
    !--- Enable http authentication to AAA.
    
    ap(config)#ip http authentication aaa
    ap(config)#exit
    

  • Configure RADIUS/TACACS Server first
    Via the web-browser interface enabling any RADIUS/TACACS+ server within Security > Server Manager > Corporate Servers and then performing the option of Security > Admin Access as Local User List Only (Individual Passwords) will provide a workaround to this vulnerability.
    

Fixed Software

• When considering software upgrades, also consult http://www.cisco.com/go/psirt and any subsequent advisories to determine exposure and a complete upgrade solution.

  In all cases, customers should exercise caution to be certain the devices to be upgraded contain sufficient memory and that current hardware and software configurations will continue to be supported properly by the new release. If the information is not clear, contact the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) or your contracted maintenance provider for assistance.

  Each row of the Cisco IOS software table (below) describes a release train and the platforms or products for which it is intended. If a given release train is vulnerable, then the earliest possible releases that contain the fix (the First Fixed Release) and the anticipated date of availability for each are listed in the Rebuild and Maintenance columns. A device running a release in the given train that is earlier than the release in a specific column (less than the First Fixed Release) is known to be vulnerable. The release should be upgraded at least to the indicated release or a later version (greater than or equal to the First Fixed Release label).

  For more information on the terms "Rebuild" and "Maintenance," consult the following URL: http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/620/1.html.

  Major Release	Availability of Repaired Releases
  12.3	Rebuild	Maintenance
  12.3(8)JA	12.3(8)JA2	12.3(11)JA
  12.3(8)JA1	12.3(8)JA2	12.3(11)JA
  12.3(8)JK	Vulnerable - please contact TAC.

Exploitation and Public Announcements

• The Cisco PSIRT is not aware of any public announcements or malicious use of the vulnerability described in this advisory.

URL

• https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20060628-ap

Revision History

• Revision 1.2	2006-Sep-20	Updated Vulnerable Products section to include Cisco 3200 Series Wireless Mobile Interface Card (WMIC), and updated Software Versions and Fixes section to include 12.3(8)JK.
  Revision 1.1	2006-July-06	Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(11)JA release date changed in the Software Version and Fixes section.
  Revision 1.0	2006-June-28	Initial public release.

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