CVE-2002-0507 in Exchange
Summary
by MITRE
An interaction between Microsoft Outlook Web Access (OWA) with RSA SecurID allows local users to bypass the SecurID authentication for a previous user via several submissions of an OWA Authentication request with the proper OWA password for the previous user, which is eventually accepted by OWA.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2019
This vulnerability exists in Microsoft Outlook Web Access (OWA) when integrated with RSA SecurID authentication systems, creating a critical authentication bypass flaw that allows local attackers to impersonate previous users. The issue stems from how OWA handles authentication state management and session validation when RSA SecurID tokens are involved in the authentication process. The vulnerability specifically manifests when an attacker submits multiple OWA authentication requests using the legitimate password of a previously authenticated user, eventually succeeding in gaining access to that user's session. This behavior represents a significant weakness in the authentication flow that undermines the security model designed to prevent unauthorized access through token-based authentication systems.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of authentication state transitions within the OWA server component when RSA SecurID tokens are present. When a user authenticates successfully with both a password and a valid RSA SecurID token, the system should properly establish a secure session that cannot be replicated by subsequent authentication attempts using only the password. However, the flaw allows attackers to exploit a race condition or state management error where multiple authentication requests with valid credentials for a previous user can eventually succeed, effectively hijacking that user's session without proper token validation. This vulnerability specifically relates to CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication scenarios, and more specifically CWE-305 which deals with authentication with weak credentials, though the weakness manifests through improper session handling rather than credential strength alone.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to user mailboxes and potentially sensitive information without requiring valid RSA SecurID tokens or bypassing the two-factor authentication mechanism entirely. An attacker with local access to the OWA system can repeatedly submit authentication requests using a known password, eventually succeeding in establishing a session as the previous user. This creates a persistent security risk where legitimate users may be impersonated, potentially leading to data breaches, unauthorized email access, and possible escalation of privileges within the organization's email infrastructure. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on RSA SecurID for enhanced authentication security, making it particularly dangerous as it undermines the entire two-factor authentication strategy.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the latest Microsoft security patches that address this specific authentication bypass vulnerability, implementing additional monitoring for unusual authentication patterns, and reviewing session management configurations within OWA. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit local access to OWA systems, while administrators should monitor authentication logs for repeated failed authentication attempts followed by successful logins. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper session management in multi-factor authentication systems and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and credential access. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional authentication controls such as account lockout policies, time-based session expiration, and enhanced logging to detect and prevent such exploitation attempts. Security teams should also review their incident response procedures to ensure rapid detection and remediation of authentication bypass attempts that could compromise user sessions and organizational data integrity.