CVE-2008-6710 in Communication Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Web administration interface in Avaya Communication Manager 3.1.x before CM 3.1.4 SP2 and 4.0.x before 4.0.3 SP1 allows remote authenticated administrators to gain root privileges via unknown vectors related to "configuring data viewing or restoring credentials."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-6710 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the web administration interface of Avaya Communication Manager systems. This issue affects versions 3.1.x prior to 3.1.4 SP2 and 4.0.x prior to 4.0.3 SP1, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on these communication platforms. The vulnerability specifically targets authenticated administrative users who can leverage unspecified vectors to escalate their privileges to root level access, fundamentally compromising system integrity and security controls.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper access control mechanisms within the web administration interface during specific operational phases involving data configuration and credential restoration processes. While the exact technical implementation details remain unspecified, the flaw appears to be related to how the system handles authentication contexts when administrators perform administrative tasks. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the category of privilege escalation attacks where legitimate administrative users can bypass normal security boundaries. The issue manifests during operations involving data viewing and credential restoration, suggesting that the vulnerability may be triggered when the system processes sensitive administrative commands that should normally be restricted to privileged users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for organizations utilizing affected Avaya Communication Manager versions. An authenticated administrator who exploits this vulnerability gains root privileges, effectively providing complete control over the system including the ability to modify system configurations, access all data, install malicious software, and potentially compromise the entire communication infrastructure. This level of access allows attackers to establish persistent backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive communication data, and disrupt business continuity. The vulnerability's remote nature means that exploitation does not require physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where administrative interfaces are accessible over the internet.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates for the affected versions, which would address the privilege escalation vectors. Network segmentation should be implemented to restrict access to administrative interfaces, ensuring that only authorized personnel can reach these critical systems. Enhanced monitoring and logging of administrative activities should be deployed to detect suspicious privilege escalation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-269: "Improper Privilege Management" and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege, where administrative users should not be able to escalate their privileges beyond their designated roles. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1068: "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" and could enable further lateral movement within networks where the compromised system serves as a gateway. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar privilege escalation vulnerabilities in other network components and ensure comprehensive protection against such attacks.