CVE-2000-0850 in SiteMinder
Summary
by MITRE
Netegrity SiteMinder before 4.11 allows remote attackers to bypass its authentication mechanism by appending "$/FILENAME.ext" (where ext is .ccc, .class, or .jpg) to the requested URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/27/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2000-0850 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw in Netegrity SiteMinder versions prior to 4.11. This issue stems from improper handling of specific file extensions within the authentication framework, creating a pathway for remote attackers to circumvent the security controls that should govern access to protected resources. The flaw specifically affects how the system processes URLs containing certain file extensions including .ccc, .class, and .jpg when appended with the special string "$/FILENAME.ext". This vulnerability operates at the application layer and demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the authentication module's request processing logic.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a path traversal or resource handling flaw where SiteMinder fails to properly validate or sanitize URL components that contain the specific pattern of "$/FILENAME.ext" followed by the targeted file extensions. When an attacker submits a request with this constructed URL pattern, the authentication system incorrectly processes the request, allowing unauthorized access to resources that should be protected by the SiteMinder authentication mechanism. This behavior aligns with CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, and CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication. The vulnerability essentially allows attackers to bypass authentication checks by manipulating how the system interprets the requested resource path.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it provides remote attackers with unauthorized access to protected resources without proper authentication credentials. This could potentially lead to data breaches, system compromise, or unauthorized access to sensitive information that was intended to be protected by the SiteMinder authentication framework. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to access restricted web applications, view protected content, or potentially escalate privileges within the affected system. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require physical access to the system or local network presence, making it particularly dangerous. This vulnerability directly relates to the ATT&CK technique T1078.004 which covers legitimate credentials, and T1566 which encompasses phishing with malicious attachments or links.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the vendor-provided patch for SiteMinder version 4.11 or later, which addresses the authentication bypass mechanism. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block requests containing the specific URL patterns associated with this vulnerability. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar path traversal or authentication bypass vulnerabilities in other applications and systems. The fix typically involves proper input validation and sanitization of URL components to ensure that the authentication framework correctly processes all request paths regardless of the file extension or special formatting patterns used by attackers.