CVE-2007-2375 in Enterprise Security Manager
Summary
by MITRE
The agent remote upgrade interface in Symantec Enterprise Security Manager (ESM) before 20070405 does not verify the authenticity of upgrades, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via software that implements the agent upgrade protocol.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2375 represents a critical security flaw in Symantec Enterprise Security Manager version 20070405 and earlier releases. This issue resides within the agent remote upgrade interface, which serves as a communication channel between the central management server and security agents deployed across the network infrastructure. The flaw stems from inadequate authentication mechanisms that fail to validate the legitimacy of upgrade packages being transmitted through this interface, creating a pathway for malicious actors to compromise the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows remote attackers to exploit the lack of cryptographic verification or digital signature validation within the upgrade protocol. When the ESM system receives an upgrade request through the agent interface, it processes the package without confirming its source or integrity, enabling attackers to craft malicious software that mimics legitimate upgrade components. This weakness directly maps to CWE-327, which addresses the use of weak or broken cryptographic algorithms, and CWE-287, concerning improper authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability essentially undermines the trust model that should exist between the management server and its agents, allowing unauthorized code execution through what should be a secure administrative channel.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with a persistent foothold within the enterprise security infrastructure. Once an attacker successfully executes arbitrary code through this interface, they can manipulate security policies, disable protective measures, or establish backdoors that persist across system reboots. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it operates at the administrative level, allowing attackers to potentially compromise the entire security ecosystem managed by Symantec ESM. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which covers command and script execution, and T1078, focusing on valid accounts for persistence, as the compromised system can be used to maintain long-term access to the network.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-supplied patch released in version 20070405, which introduces proper authentication and verification mechanisms for upgrade packages. Network segmentation and monitoring of traffic between ESM servers and agents should be enhanced to detect anomalous upgrade activities. Additional protective measures include implementing network access controls that restrict communication to trusted sources only, enabling detailed logging of all upgrade operations, and conducting regular security assessments of the management infrastructure. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security software and the dangers of relying on insecure communication protocols in enterprise security management systems.