CVE-2010-4566 in Access Gateway
Summary
by MITRE
The web authentication form in the NT4 authentication component in Citrix Access Gateway Enterprise Edition 9.2-49.8 and earlier, and the NTLM authentication component in Access Gateway Standard and Advanced Editions before Access Gateway 5.0, allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in the password field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4566 represents a critical command injection flaw within Citrix Access Gateway authentication components that affects multiple editions and versions of the product. This vulnerability specifically targets the NT4 authentication form in Enterprise Edition versions 9.2-49.8 and earlier, as well as the NTLM authentication component in Standard and Advanced Editions prior to version 5.0. The flaw arises from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the authentication processing pipeline, creating an avenue for malicious actors to exploit the system through carefully crafted inputs in the password field.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of user input during the authentication process, where shell metacharacters can be passed through the password field without adequate filtering or escaping mechanisms. When the system processes these inputs, it fails to properly sanitize the data before using it in system commands or shell executions, resulting in a classic command injection vulnerability. This weakness allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with the privileges of the authentication service, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-77 which describes improper neutralization of special elements used in a command, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and script interpreters.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple authentication bypass attempts, as it provides attackers with a pathway to execute arbitrary code on the target system. Successful exploitation could enable threat actors to gain unauthorized access to network resources, escalate privileges, install backdoors, or conduct further reconnaissance activities within the network infrastructure. The affected Citrix Access Gateway products serve as critical access control points for enterprise environments, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could provide attackers with entry points to sensitive internal systems. Organizations relying on these authentication components face significant risk of data breaches, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within their networks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-4566 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Citrix Access Gateway versions to the latest available security updates from the vendor. Organizations must implement strict input validation and sanitization measures to prevent shell metacharacters from being processed through authentication forms, including the implementation of proper escape sequences and parameterized queries. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enhanced to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual authentication patterns or command execution attempts. Additionally, security awareness training for administrators and regular security assessments of authentication infrastructure should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other components of the system.