CVE-2002-1552 in eDirectory
Summary
by MITRE
Novell eDirectory (eDir) 8.6.2 and Netware 5.1 eDir 85.x allows users with expired passwords to gain inappropriate permissions when logging in from Remote Manager.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/13/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-1552 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw within Novell eDirectory 8.6.2 and Netware 5.1 eDir 85.x systems. This issue specifically targets the Remote Manager component, which serves as a critical administrative interface for managing network services and user accounts. The flaw stems from improper validation of user credentials during the authentication process, particularly when dealing with expired password scenarios that should normally prevent access to administrative functions. This vulnerability falls under the category of weak authentication mechanisms and improper access control, with direct implications for privilege escalation and unauthorized system access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the Remote Manager authentication subsystem where the system fails to properly enforce password expiration policies during login operations. When a user attempts to authenticate with an expired password through the Remote Manager interface, the system incorrectly grants access privileges that should only be available to legitimate authenticated users with valid credentials. This misconfiguration creates a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the authentication flow and gain elevated permissions without proper credential validation. The vulnerability is classified as a weakness in authentication and access control mechanisms, aligning with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with the ability to perform administrative functions within the eDirectory environment. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can manipulate user accounts, modify system configurations, and potentially escalate their privileges to full administrative control of the network services managed by eDirectory. This represents a significant risk to enterprise network security, as the Remote Manager interface typically provides access to critical system management functions that should be restricted to authorized personnel only. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that this vulnerability affects legacy systems that may not receive regular security updates, making exploitation more likely and harder to detect.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including disabling or restricting access to the Remote Manager interface, implementing additional authentication layers, and ensuring that all systems are updated to versions that address this specific authentication bypass issue. The remediation process should also include comprehensive monitoring of authentication logs for suspicious activities and implementing proper password policy enforcement. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper access control configurations, particularly for critical administrative interfaces. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and credential access methods, highlighting the need for layered security controls and regular vulnerability assessments to prevent unauthorized access to critical network services.