CVE-2009-3441 in OSSIM
Summary
by MITRE
Open Source Security Information Management (OSSIM) before 2.1.2 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication, and read graphs or infrastructure information, via a direct request to (1) graphs/alarms_events.php or (2) host/draw_tree.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/23/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-3441 affects the Open Source Security Information Management (OSSIM) platform, specifically versions prior to 2.1.2, presenting a critical authentication bypass flaw that enables remote attackers to access sensitive system information. This vulnerability resides in the platform's web interface implementation where direct access to specific PHP scripts bypasses the normal authentication mechanisms, allowing unauthorized users to retrieve graphical representations of security events and infrastructure topology data.
The technical flaw manifests through improper access control implementation within the OSSIM web application's file structure. Attackers can directly request two specific endpoints: graphs/alarms_events.php and host/draw_tree.php without providing valid authentication credentials. This represents a classic case of insecure direct object reference vulnerability, where the application fails to verify whether the requesting user has proper authorization to access the requested resource. The vulnerability allows attackers to obtain visual representations of security alarms and network infrastructure topology, which can reveal critical system architecture information and security event patterns.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it provides attackers with access to graphical security information that could reveal network topology, security event correlations, and infrastructure dependencies. This information can significantly aid in planning more sophisticated attacks, as attackers can identify critical systems, understand security monitoring capabilities, and map potential attack vectors within the network. The ability to access infrastructure information through these graph-based interfaces can provide attackers with detailed insights into system interconnections and security event relationships that would normally be restricted to authorized personnel.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems, and represents a failure in implementing proper access controls for web application resources. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1566 - Phishing and T1046 - Network Service Scanning, as attackers can leverage this bypass to gain intelligence about target systems and potentially identify additional attack surfaces. The vulnerability also relates to T1082 - System Information Discovery, as it allows unauthorized access to system topology and security event data that would normally be restricted to authorized users.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to OSSIM version 2.1.2 or later to address this vulnerability, as the patch includes proper authentication checks for the affected endpoints. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to restrict access to the OSSIM web interface, configuring proper firewall rules to limit access to these specific endpoints, and establishing network monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to these vulnerable scripts. Security administrators should also review access logs for any suspicious activity related to these endpoints and consider implementing additional authentication layers or web application firewalls to protect against similar vulnerabilities in other components of the security infrastructure.