CVE-2001-1151 in OfficeScan
Summary
by MITRE
Trend Micro OfficeScan Corporate Edition (aka Virus Buster) 3.53 allows remote attackers to access sensitive information from the hotdownload directory without authentication, such as the ofcscan.ini configuration file, which contains a weakly encrypted password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/27/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-1151 affects Trend Micro OfficeScan Corporate Edition version 3.53, a widely deployed endpoint security solution designed to protect corporate networks from malware and other threats. This security flaw represents a critical access control weakness that undermines the fundamental security posture of organizations relying on this software for network protection. The vulnerability specifically resides within the hotdownload directory functionality, which is intended to facilitate automated updates and deployment of security policies across networked endpoints. However, the implementation fails to enforce proper authentication mechanisms, creating an exploitable path for unauthorized access to sensitive system components.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls within the OfficeScan server component, particularly in how it handles file access requests to the hotdownload directory. Attackers can directly access files within this directory without providing any authentication credentials, bypassing the normal security protocols that should govern access to configuration files and system parameters. The ofcscan.ini configuration file serves as the primary target, containing critical system information including a weakly encrypted password that can be easily reverse-engineered or cracked using standard cryptographic analysis techniques. This weak encryption implementation violates established security standards and demonstrates poor cryptographic practices that have been consistently flagged as dangerous by security frameworks including the CWE database under category 310 for weak encryption.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with direct access to administrative credentials that can be leveraged for further compromise of the targeted network. Once an attacker obtains the weakly encrypted password from the configuration file, they can potentially escalate privileges and gain full administrative control over the OfficeScan server, enabling them to modify security policies, disable protection mechanisms, or even deploy malicious payloads directly through the legitimate update channels. This vulnerability creates a persistent backdoor that can remain undetected for extended periods while providing attackers with complete control over the security infrastructure. The attack pattern aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and defense evasion techniques, particularly the use of legitimate credentials for unauthorized access and the exploitation of software vulnerabilities to maintain persistent access.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address the exposure. The primary recommendation involves enforcing proper access controls on the hotdownload directory through network segmentation and firewall rules that restrict access to only authorized systems and administrators. Additionally, the weakly encrypted password within the ofcscan.ini file should be immediately changed and reconfigured using stronger encryption methods that comply with current cryptographic standards. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive directories and configuration files. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and access control implementation as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security risks, where insufficient logging and monitoring can allow attackers to maintain access without detection. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar weak points in other security solutions within the network infrastructure, ensuring that the remediation efforts address not only this specific vulnerability but also prevent similar issues from occurring in other components of the security ecosystem.