Cisco Security Advisory

This section provides details on affected products.

Vulnerable Products

Products Confirmed Not Vulnerable

Wireless Control System is a centralized, systems-level application for managing and controlling lightweight access points and wireless LAN controllers for the Cisco Unified Wireless Network.

WCS contains multiple vulnerabilities including information disclosure and privilege escalation issues. The issues are detailed below:

• CSCsd15955 ( registered customers only) —Remote users can connect to the WCS internal database with an undocumented username and hard-coded password, gaining access to the sensitive configuration information of managed wireless access points.
  
• CSCsd15951 ( registered customers only) —The undocumented database username and password are present in several WCS files in clear text.
  
• CSCse21391 ( registered customers only) —WCS installations contain the default administrator username root with a default password of public. The password is not required to be changed during installation or upon the initial login. There is a workaround for this vulnerability.
  
• CSCsd71397 ( registered customers only) —A remote user can read from or write to arbitrary locations in the filesystem of a WCS system via the internal TFTP server. This problem only occurs if the directory path chosen by the user during the installation of WCS for the root of the internal TFTP server contains a space character. There is a workaround for this vulnerability.
  
• CSCse01127 ( registered customers only) —The login page for the WCS HTTP interface does not completely sanitize user-supplied data for malicious script code. This may result in the ability for an attacker to entice a user to access a malicious URL which executes arbitrary script code in the user's web browser.
  
• CSCse01409 ( registered customers only) —The WCS HTTP server does not completely secure certain directories, potentially allowing access to sensitive information like WCS usernames and directory paths.
  

These issues are documented by the following Cisco bug IDs:

• CSCsd15955 ( registered customers only) —WCS DBserver is remotely accessible using Solid SQL and static password
  
• CSCsd15951 ( registered customers only) —Database passwords are written in clear text on the program folders
  
• CSCse21391 ( registered customers only) —WCS ships with default administrator account and password
  
• CSCsd71397 ( registered customers only) —WCS tftp read/writes to C:\ if given dir has a space
  
• CSCse01127 ( registered customers only) —Possible CSS attack on login page of WCS
  
• CSCse01409 ( registered customers only) —WCS allows unauthenticated access to user list and html files on server
  

Successful exploitation of the vulnerabilities presented in this advisory have different impacts.

• CSCsd15955—May result in the exposure of sensitive configuration information for wireless access points managed by the WCS server, including encryption keys. With the encryption keys for managed wireless networks, an attacker can intercept and decrypt network traffic.
  
• CSCsd15951—May allow an attacker to gain access to the WCS internal database.
  
• CSCse21391—May allow an attacker to gain complete control of a WCS installation.
  
• CSCsd71397—May result in the ability to read from and write to arbitrary locations in the filesystem of a system running WCS, including the ability to overwrite and create new files.
  
• CSCse01127—Exploitation may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary script code in a user's web browser. This may be used to obtain sensitive session information which can be used to access the WCS management interface.
  
• CSCse01409—Exploitation may allow an attacker to obtain sensitive WCS configuration data such as WCS usernames and directory installation paths.
  

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.

WCS version 4.0 can be obtained from http://www.cisco.com/pcgi-bin/tablebuild.pl/Wireless_Control_System_Software. Please contact the Cisco TAC to obtain earlier versions of WCS software.

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

Users of the 3.2 software version can upgrade to 3.2(63) to receive all fixes. CSCse21391 currently has no fix, although there is a workaround that will completely eliminate the vulnerability. Fixed software will be available in the fourth quarter of 2006.

There are are no workarounds for vulnerabilities described in CSCsd15955 (default database account and password), CSCsd15951 (database user and password in clear text), CSCse01127 (XSS) and CSCse01409 (unprotected HTTP directories).

There is a workaround for the vulnerability described in CSCse21391 (default administrator account and password). Users can change the password for the root username via the WCS HTTP management interface. Select Administration -> Accounts -> root to change the password.

There is a workaround for the vulnerability described in CSCsd71397 (TFTP file read and write). Follow these steps to mitigate the TFTP vulnerability.

• Stop the WCS service via Programs -> Wireless Control System -> StopWCS.
  
• Edit the file \webnms\conf\NmsProcessesBE.conf. WCS is typically installed in C:\Program Files\WCS32. Modify the section
  

  # java com.adventnet.nms.tftp.NmsTftpServer [TFTP_ROOT_DIRECTORY dir] [PORT portNo]
  # RJS WARNING - If you change these lines, you must change the installer.
  PROCESS             com.adventnet.nms.tftp.NmsTftpServer
  ARGS            TFTP_ROOT_DIRECTORY C:/some directory PORT 69 RETRIES 3 TIMEOUT 30000
  

  by placing quotes around the directory path like "C:/some directory".
  
• Start the WCS service via Programs -> Wireless Control System -> StartWCS.
  

Cisco will make free software available to address this vulnerability for affected customers. This advisory will be updated as fixed software becomes available. Prior to deploying software, customers should consult their maintenance provider or check the software for feature set compatibility and known issues specific to their environment.

Customers may only install and expect support for the feature sets they have purchased. By installing, downloading, accessing or otherwise using such software upgrades, customers agree to be bound by the terms of Cisco's software license terms found at http://www.cisco.com/public/sw-license-agreement.html , or as otherwise set forth at Cisco.com Downloads at http://www.cisco.com/public/sw-center/sw-usingswc.shtml.

Do not contact either "psirt@cisco.com" or "security-alert@cisco.com" for software upgrades.

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

THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" BASIS AND DOES NOT IMPLY ANY KIND OF GUARANTEE OR WARRANTY, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR USE. YOUR USE OF THE INFORMATION ON THE DOCUMENT OR MATERIALS LINKED FROM THE DOCUMENT IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. CISCO RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE OR UPDATE THIS DOCUMENT AT ANY TIME.

A stand-alone copy or Paraphrase of the text of this document that omits the distribution URL in the following section is an uncontrolled copy, and may lack important information or contain factual errors.

This advisory is posted on Cisco's worldwide website at:

http://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20060628-wcs

In addition to worldwide web posting, a text version of this notice is clear-signed with the Cisco PSIRT PGP key and is posted to the following e-mail and Usenet news recipients.

• cust-security-announce@cisco.com
  
• first-teams@first.org
  
• bugtraq@securityfocus.com
  
• vulnwatch@vulnwatch.org
  
• cisco@spot.colorado.edu
  
• cisco-nsp@puck.nether.net
  
• full-disclosure@lists.grok.org.uk
  
• comp.dcom.sys.cisco@newsgate.cisco.com
  

Future updates of this advisory, if any, will be placed on Cisco's worldwide website, but may or may not be actively announced on mailing lists or newsgroups. Users concerned about this problem are encouraged to check the above URL for any updates.

Complete information on reporting security vulnerabilities in Cisco products, obtaining assistance with security incidents, and registering to receive security information from Cisco, is available on Cisco's worldwide website at http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/products_security_vulnerability_policy.html. This includes instructions for press inquiries regarding Cisco security notices. All Cisco security advisories are available at http://www.cisco.com/go/psirt.