CVE-2001-1359 in Volution
Summary
by MITRE
Volution clients 1.0.7 and earlier attempt to contact the computer creation daemon (CCD) when an LDAP authentication failure occurs, which allows remote attackers to fully control clients via a Trojan horse Volution server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/30/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-1359 represents a critical security flaw in Volution clients version 1.0.7 and earlier, where the software exhibits improper handling of LDAP authentication failures. This vulnerability stems from the client's design to automatically attempt communication with a computer creation daemon when LDAP authentication fails, creating an exploitable pathway for malicious actors. The flaw essentially allows attackers to establish full control over vulnerable client systems by deploying a malicious Trojan horse server that mimics legitimate LDAP services. This behavior directly violates fundamental security principles of authentication failure handling and demonstrates a dangerous assumption that all network communications can be trusted without proper verification mechanisms. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the client-side authentication process, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited without requiring elevated privileges or complex attack vectors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the client application's failure to properly isolate or validate network connections during authentication failures. When LDAP authentication fails, the client does not simply terminate the connection or present an error message as expected. Instead, it continues to attempt communication with what it believes to be a legitimate computer creation daemon service. Attackers can exploit this by setting up a malicious server that responds to LDAP requests in a manner consistent with the expected protocol behavior, causing the vulnerable client to establish a connection with the attacker's system. This creates a man-in-the-middle scenario where the attacker can fully control the client application, potentially gaining access to sensitive data, system resources, and network access. The vulnerability can be classified under CWE-284 Access Control Issues, specifically related to improper access control during authentication failures, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts for maintaining persistent access through legitimate system accounts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with complete control over affected client systems. Once a client connects to the malicious Trojan horse server, the attacker can execute arbitrary commands, modify system configurations, steal sensitive information, and potentially use the compromised client as a pivot point for further attacks within the network. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on Volution clients for network management and authentication, potentially compromising entire network infrastructures if multiple clients are affected. The attack requires minimal sophistication to execute, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by attackers with limited technical expertise. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper error handling and network communication validation in security-sensitive applications, as the failure to properly handle authentication failures creates an attack surface that can be exploited for complete system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Volution client versions to address the improper handling of LDAP authentication failures. Organizations should implement network segmentation to isolate Volution client communications and establish strict firewall rules that prevent unauthorized access to LDAP services. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual communication patterns between clients and external servers, particularly during authentication failure scenarios. Security configurations should be reviewed to ensure that clients do not automatically attempt connections to external services during authentication failures, and instead implement proper error handling that terminates connections gracefully. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their authentication infrastructure and implement network access controls that prevent clients from establishing connections to untrusted external services. The vulnerability highlights the need for robust input validation and secure coding practices, particularly in applications that handle authentication and network communications, as proper error handling mechanisms are essential for preventing exploitation of authentication failure scenarios.