Description

A vulnerability in the web-based user interface of Cisco License On-Prem, formerly Cisco Smart Software Manager On-Prem (SSM On-Prem), could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system. This vulnerability is due to improper validation of user-supplied content within configurations that are submitted to the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by updating configurations within the web-based management interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with root privileges. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have valid administrative credentials. Because only an attacker who already holds system administrator privileges can exploit the vulnerability, the only additional privileges gained include the ability to turn off the system, which an administrative user could not normally do.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "4.9",
  "pubDate": "2026-10-07T17:16:56.790Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-10-07T17:16:56.790Z",
  "executiveSummary": "This vulnerability pertains to an authenticated remote command injection flaw discovered within the web-based management interface of Cisco License On-Prem (formerly Cisco Smart Software Manager On-Prem). The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation of user-supplied configuration parameters, allowing an authenticated administrator to execute arbitrary OS commands with root-level privileges.\nThe scope of impact includes total system compromise, as the attacker gains unrestricted control over the underlying operating system. While the exploitation requires valid administrative credentials, the successful execution of an attack allows for actions exceeding the standard scope of administrative functionality, such as unauthorized system termination.\nRisk implications are significant, as the vulnerability effectively elevates existing administrative access to full system-level control. Organizations utilizing Cisco License On-Prem are exposed to potential persistent backend threats if an administrative account is compromised or misused by an insider. Given the privilege escalation from administrative user to root, the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the server are at critical risk.\nExploitation requirements are specific, mandating that an attacker already possesses valid administrative credentials to access the management interface and submit malicious configurations. No unauthenticated exploitation vector is identified, limiting the attack surface to trusted or compromised management accounts.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability resides in the configuration management module of the Cisco License On-Prem web-based interface. The root cause is categorized as improper validation of user-supplied content within configuration fields, which likely interface directly with backend system calls or configuration scripts that lack adequate input sanitization. When a user submits updated configuration settings, the application fails to perform sufficient filtration against shell metacharacters or command concatenation sequences.\nExploitation is achieved by injecting arbitrary operating system commands into the affected configuration parameters. Because the web management interface processes these inputs within the context of the root user, the injected payloads are executed with maximum system privileges. This bypasses the intended functional limitations of the administrative dashboard, granting the attacker full command execution capabilities on the host operating system.\nThe attack flow proceeds as follows: First, the attacker authenticates to the Cisco License On-Prem web interface using valid administrative credentials. Second, the attacker navigates to the configuration management section and modifies specific input fields, injecting malicious shell command sequences. Third, upon saving or applying the configuration, the backend application processes the tainted input via an underlying system function, executing the injected commands as root. Fourth, the malicious payload achieves persistence or immediate operational impact, such as disabling system services, modifying critical files, or enabling unauthorized access pathways.\nThe post-exploitation impact allows for complete system manipulation. By gaining root privileges, an attacker can modify local security configurations, install backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive licensing data, or perform malicious actions that the standard web interface would normally restrict, including forced system shutdown or kernel-level tampering. The lack of strict parameter validation represents a failure in the application's input handling architecture, where trust is incorrectly placed in configuration data submitted via the GUI.\nThe vulnerability is restricted to the web-based management interface, and successful exploitation is entirely dependent on the pre-existence of valid administrative credentials. While the attack is performed remotely, it is inherently limited to internal management networks or perimeter-exposed instances where administrative access is permitted. The payload execution occurs immediately upon the processing of the malicious configuration update, emphasizing the necessity of robust input validation mechanisms at the boundary between the web application and the underlying OS command-line utilities."
}