CVE-2005-0311 in firewall
Summary
by MITRE
ingate firewall 4.1.3 and earlier does not terminate the pptp session for an active user when the administrator disables that user from a resource which could allow remote authenticated users to retain unauthorized access to resources.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0311 affects ingate firewall versions 4.1.3 and earlier, presenting a critical security flaw in session management for point-to-point tunneling protocol connections. This issue stems from the firewall's failure to properly terminate active pptp sessions when administrative user accounts are disabled, creating a persistent access vector that undermines the integrity of the authentication system.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper handling of user session lifecycle management within the firewall's pptp implementation. When an administrator disables a user account through the management interface or resource access controls, the system fails to forcibly terminate any active pptp sessions associated with that user. This represents a direct violation of proper access control principles where the system should ensure that disabled credentials cannot continue to maintain network access. The vulnerability exists at the intersection of authentication and session management controls, specifically affecting the pptp protocol implementation within the firewall's security architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows authenticated attackers to maintain unauthorized access to network resources even after their accounts have been administratively disabled. This creates a persistent backdoor that could be exploited by malicious users who have previously gained legitimate access to the system, or by attackers who have compromised credentials and then disabled accounts to avoid detection. The vulnerability undermines the fundamental security principle of least privilege and can lead to extended unauthorized access periods that may go unnoticed for extended periods.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-617, which addresses reachable finalizers, and represents a session management weakness that could be exploited through the ATT&CK technique of Valid Accounts. The persistent access granted to disabled users creates a potential attack surface that could be leveraged for lateral movement, data exfiltration, or other malicious activities. Organizations using affected ingate firewall versions face increased risk of unauthorized access and potential compromise of network resources. The vulnerability demonstrates poor implementation of access control mechanisms and highlights the importance of proper session termination procedures in network security devices.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to firewall versions that address this session management flaw and implement monitoring procedures to detect potentially compromised accounts. Regular security audits should verify that disabled accounts do not maintain active sessions, and network administrators should establish procedures for manual session cleanup when accounts are disabled. The vulnerability underscores the critical need for comprehensive session lifecycle management in security appliances and the importance of testing access control mechanisms to ensure that disabled users cannot maintain unauthorized access to network resources.