cisco-sa-20180815-wsa-escalation: Cisco Web Security Appliance Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the account management subsystem of Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) could allow an authenticated, local attacker to elevate privileges to root. The attacker must authenticate with valid administrator credentials. The vulnerability is due to improper implementation of access controls. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating to the device as a specific user to gain the information needed to elevate privileges to root in a separate login shell. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to escape the CLI subshell and execute system-level commands on the underlying operating system as root.
There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability.
This advisory is available at the following link: https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20180815-wsa-escalation
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of cisco-sa-20180815-wsa-escalation?
The severity of cisco-sa-20180815-wsa-escalation is classified as high due to the potential for privilege escalation.
How do I fix cisco-sa-20180815-wsa-escalation?
To fix cisco-sa-20180815-wsa-escalation, update the Cisco Web Security Appliance to the latest software version as recommended by Cisco.
Who is affected by cisco-sa-20180815-wsa-escalation?
Organizations using vulnerable versions of Cisco Web Security Appliance are affected by cisco-sa-20180815-wsa-escalation.
Can an attacker exploit cisco-sa-20180815-wsa-escalation remotely?
No, an attacker must first authenticate with valid administrator credentials to exploit cisco-sa-20180815-wsa-escalation.
What could happen if cisco-sa-20180815-wsa-escalation is exploited?
If cisco-sa-20180815-wsa-escalation is exploited, an attacker could gain root privileges, potentially compromising the entire system.