A vulnerability in Cisco access points (AP) software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to inject arbitrary commands and execute them with root privileges. This vulnerability is due to improper input validation of commands that are issued from a wireless controller to an AP. An attacker with Administrator access to the CLI of the controller could exploit this vulnerability by issuing a command with crafted arguments. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to gain full root access on the AP. Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability. 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-aironetap-cmdinj-6bjT4FL8
A vulnerability in Cisco access points (AP) software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to inject arbitrary commands and execute them with root privileges.
This vulnerability is due to improper input validation of commands that are issued from a wireless controller to an AP. An attacker with Administrator access to the CLI of the controller could exploit this vulnerability by issuing a command with crafted arguments. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to gain full root access on the AP.
Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability. 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-aironetap-cmdinj-6bjT4FL8
At the time of publication, this vulnerability affected the following Cisco products if they were running a vulnerable software release in the default configuration:
For information about which Cisco software releases were vulnerable at the time of publication, see the Fixed Software section of this advisory. See the Details section in the bug ID(s) at the top of this advisory for the most complete and current information.
Only products listed in the Vulnerable Products section of this advisory are known to be affected by this vulnerability.
Cisco has confirmed that this vulnerability does not affect any Cisco access points that are not listed in the Vulnerable Products section of this advisory.
There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability.
When considering software upgrades, customers are advised to regularly consult the advisories for Cisco products, which are available from the Cisco Security Advisories page, to determine exposure and a complete upgrade solution.
In all cases, customers should ensure that the devices to be upgraded contain sufficient memory and confirm that current hardware and software configurations will continue to be supported properly by the new release. If the information is not clear, customers are advised to contact the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) or their contracted maintenance providers.
In the following tables, the left column lists Cisco software releases. The right column indicates whether a release is affected by the vulnerability that is described in this advisory and the first release that includes the fix for this vulnerability. Customers are advised to upgrade to an appropriate fixed software release as indicated in this section.
APs Managed by Wireless LAN Controller or Mobility Express
| Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Software Release | First Fixed Release |
|---|---|
| 8.9 and earlier | Migrate to a fixed release. |
| 8.10 | 8.10.181.01 |
APs Managed by Catalyst 9800 Wireless Controller or Embedded Wireless Controller
| Cisco IOS XE Software Release for Wireless LAN Controllers | First Fixed Release |
|---|---|
| 16.12 | 16.12.8 |
| 17.1 | Migrate to a fixed release. |
| 17.2 | Migrate to a fixed release. |
| 17.3 | 17.3.6 |
| 17.4 | Migrate to a fixed release. |
| 17.5 | Migrate to a fixed release. |
| 17.6 | 17.6.5 |
| 17.8 | Migrate to a fixed release. |
| 17.9 | 17.9.2 |
| 17.10 | Not vulnerable. |
The Cisco Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT) validates only the affected and fixed release information that is documented in this advisory.
The Cisco PSIRT is not aware of any public announcements or malicious use of the vulnerability that is described in this advisory.
This vulnerability was found by Matthew Street of Cisco during internal security testing.
To learn about Cisco security vulnerability disclosure policies and publications, see the Security Vulnerability Policy. This document also contains instructions for obtaining fixed software and receiving security vulnerability information from Cisco.
| Version | Description | Section | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Initial public release. | - | Final | 2023-MAR-22 |
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