CVE-2007-3455 in OfficeScan
Summary
by MITRE
cgiChkMasterPwd.exe before 8.0.0.142 in Trend Micro OfficeScan Corporate Edition 8.0 allows remote attackers to bypass the password requirement and gain access to the Management Console via an empty hash and empty encrypted password string, related to "stored decrypted user logon information."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/15/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-3455 affects Trend Micro OfficeScan Corporate Edition version 8.0 and earlier, specifically targeting the cgiChkMasterPwd.exe component responsible for validating administrative access to the Management Console. This flaw represents a critical authentication bypass vulnerability that undermines the security controls designed to protect corporate network management interfaces. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of user authentication credentials within the OfficeScan console authentication mechanism, creating a pathway for unauthorized remote access that bypasses the standard password validation processes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a weakness in how the system processes stored decrypted user logon information. When an attacker provides an empty hash value combined with an empty encrypted password string, the authentication routine fails to properly validate the credentials, allowing unauthorized access to the Management Console. This behavior violates fundamental security principles and demonstrates a failure in input validation and authentication state management. The flaw essentially creates a backdoor authentication path that operates independently of legitimate user credentials, enabling attackers to gain administrative privileges without proper authorization. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of weak authentication mechanisms and improper input validation as defined by CWE-287 and CWE-254.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with full administrative control over the OfficeScan Management Console. This level of access enables malicious actors to modify security policies, disable protection mechanisms, view sensitive network information, and potentially escalate their privileges to gain broader system access. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers can leverage this vulnerability from outside the corporate network, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where network segmentation may not be sufficient to prevent lateral movement. Organizations using affected versions of OfficeScan would be vulnerable to attacks that could compromise their entire security infrastructure, as the Management Console serves as the central point for configuring and managing all security policies across the network.
The vulnerability demonstrates a critical flaw in the security architecture of the affected software, where the authentication system fails to properly validate the integrity of user credentials. This weakness can be exploited through various attack vectors including network reconnaissance and credential manipulation, making it a particularly attractive target for sophisticated attackers. The lack of proper cryptographic validation and the failure to implement robust input sanitization techniques directly contribute to the vulnerability's exploitability. From an attack perspective, this flaw aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the credential access and privilege escalation categories, where attackers can leverage weak authentication mechanisms to gain unauthorized access to critical systems. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching to version 8.0.0.142 or later, implementing network segmentation, and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.