CVE-2007-2896 in Enterprise Security Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Race condition in the Symantec Enterprise Security Manager (ESM) 6.5.3 managers and agents on Windows before 20070524 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption and application hang) via certain network scans to ESM ports.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2896 represents a critical race condition flaw within Symantec Enterprise Security Manager version 6.5.3, specifically affecting both manager and agent components operating on Windows systems prior to the 20070524 update. This race condition manifests during network scanning activities targeting ESM ports, creating a scenario where malicious actors can exploit the timing vulnerability to disrupt normal system operations. The flaw resides in the improper handling of concurrent network requests and resource allocation within the ESM architecture, particularly when multiple simultaneous connections attempt to access shared system resources. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-362, which categorizes race conditions as a fundamental weakness in software design that can lead to unpredictable behavior and system instability. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant threat to enterprise security infrastructure since ESM managers and agents form the core of Symantec's security monitoring and response capabilities.
The technical exploitation of this race condition occurs when remote attackers conduct specific network scans against ESM ports, triggering a cascade of events that leads to excessive CPU consumption and application hanging. The underlying mechanism involves the improper synchronization of access to shared resources within the ESM component, where multiple threads or processes attempt to manipulate the same data structures simultaneously without adequate locking mechanisms. When network scanning activity intensifies, the system's inability to properly manage concurrent access results in resource exhaustion and system performance degradation. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with the ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network denial of service attacks targeting system resources. The flaw essentially creates a condition where legitimate system operations become overwhelmed by malicious activity, leading to a denial of service scenario that affects both the availability and performance of security monitoring services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to compromise the overall integrity of enterprise security operations. When ESM managers and agents become unresponsive due to CPU exhaustion, security monitoring capabilities are severely degraded, potentially allowing other threats to go undetected while the system struggles to maintain basic functionality. Organizations relying on Symantec ESM for centralized security management face significant risk since the vulnerability affects core components that handle security event processing and response coordination. The timing aspect of the race condition means that the vulnerability can be triggered by automated scanning tools, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network reconnaissance activities are common. This creates a scenario where security administrators may inadvertently expose their systems to exploitation while conducting routine network assessments or vulnerability scanning activities. The vulnerability's classification as a denial of service issue means that recovery from exploitation typically requires manual intervention, system restarts, and potentially security patches that may not be immediately available or easily deployable in enterprise environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-2896 require immediate implementation of security updates and network access controls to prevent exploitation. Organizations should prioritize applying the patch released by Symantec on or after 20070524, which addresses the race condition by implementing proper synchronization mechanisms and resource management protocols. Network segmentation and access control lists should be configured to restrict unauthorized scanning activities targeting ESM ports, while monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns of network traffic that may indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on suspicious scanning activities targeting known ESM port ranges provides an additional layer of protection. Security teams should also consider implementing temporary network restrictions on ESM components during high-risk periods, particularly when conducting network assessments or when external threat intelligence indicates active scanning campaigns targeting enterprise security infrastructure. Regular vulnerability assessments and security audits should be performed to identify similar race condition vulnerabilities in other security management components within the enterprise environment, as this type of flaw often indicates broader architectural weaknesses that may affect other systems.