CVE-2010-1596 in Support Incident Tracker
Summary
by MITRE
Support Incident Tracker before 3.51, when using LDAP authentication with anonymous binds, allows remote attackers to bypass authentication via an empty password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-1596 affects Support Incident Tracker versions prior to 3.51 and represents a critical authentication bypass flaw that specifically manifests when the system employs LDAP authentication with anonymous binding capabilities. This vulnerability exploits a fundamental misconfiguration in the authentication handling mechanism that fails to properly validate credential inputs, creating a security loophole that adversaries can leverage to gain unauthorized access to the system. The flaw particularly impacts environments where LDAP integration is used for user authentication, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on directory services for access control management.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the LDAP authentication module where the system accepts empty password values without adequate verification. When anonymous binds are enabled in LDAP configurations, the application fails to distinguish between legitimate anonymous access attempts and malicious authentication bypass attempts. This occurs because the authentication routine does not enforce proper password validation checks, allowing attackers to submit empty password fields that are accepted by the system as valid credentials. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the authentication flow rather than underlying network protocols, making it particularly insidious as it exploits legitimate system functionality to enable unauthorized access.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-1596 extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges and potentially gain complete control over the Support Incident Tracker system. This authentication bypass allows adversaries to access sensitive incident data, modify system configurations, and potentially use the compromised system as a foothold for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely without requiring any prior authentication credentials, making it an attractive target for automated attack tools. Organizations using LDAP authentication with anonymous binds are especially vulnerable, as this configuration is common in enterprise environments where directory services are used for user management and access control.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a classic example of improper input validation and authentication flow design, aligning with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues. The attack pattern follows the MITRE ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the credential access and defense evasion domains. Organizations should immediately implement patch management procedures to upgrade to Support Incident Tracker version 3.51 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for this authentication bypass vulnerability. Additionally, system administrators should review and disable anonymous LDAP binds where possible, implement proper input validation mechanisms, and conduct regular security assessments to identify similar authentication flaws in other applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper credential validation and access control implementation in security-sensitive applications, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security testing throughout the software development lifecycle to prevent such issues from reaching production environments.