CVE-2003-0996 in Unicenter Remote Control Host
Summary
by MITRE
Unknown "System Security Vulnerability" in Computer Associates (CA) Unicenter Remote Control (URC) 6.0 allows attackers to gain privileges via the help interface.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-0996 represents a critical system security flaw within Computer Associates Unicenter Remote Control version 6.0. This remote access tool, designed for enterprise system management and monitoring, contained a weakness in its help interface that could be exploited by malicious actors to escalate their privileges within the system. The vulnerability specifically affects the authentication and authorization mechanisms implemented in the help component of the software, creating an unexpected entry point for unauthorized users to gain elevated access rights.
The technical implementation of this flaw lies within the help interface functionality of the Unicenter Remote Control application. When users interacted with the help system, the application failed to properly validate user credentials or enforce appropriate access controls. This weakness allowed attackers to manipulate the help interface in such a way that they could bypass normal authentication procedures and execute commands with higher privileges than initially intended. The vulnerability essentially created a backdoor through the help system that could be exploited without proper authorization, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where such tools are commonly deployed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to critical system resources and perform malicious activities within the network. Organizations using CA Unicenter Remote Control 6.0 were exposed to potential security breaches where attackers could leverage this weakness to move laterally within their network infrastructure, access sensitive data, modify system configurations, or even establish persistent access points. The remote nature of the vulnerability meant that attackers could exploit it from outside the network perimeter, significantly increasing the attack surface and potential damage.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-264, which describes "Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls" weaknesses, and demonstrates how improper access control implementation can lead to privilege escalation attacks. From an adversarial perspective, this flaw would likely be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation." The attack vector would typically involve an initial reconnaissance phase to identify the vulnerable system, followed by exploitation of the help interface to gain elevated privileges. Organizations implementing the CA Unicenter Remote Control 6.0 should have considered this vulnerability as part of their overall security posture assessment and implemented appropriate compensating controls.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should have included immediate patching of the affected software version, implementation of network segmentation to limit access to the Unicenter Remote Control functionality, and enhanced monitoring of help interface usage patterns. Security administrators should have reviewed and restricted access to the help interface components, potentially disabling unnecessary help features or implementing additional authentication layers. The vulnerability also highlighted the importance of conducting thorough security assessments of third-party applications and maintaining up-to-date vulnerability management processes to identify and remediate such weaknesses before they could be exploited in real-world scenarios.