CVE-2012-0290 in pcAnywhere
Summary
by MITRE
Symantec pcAnywhere through 12.5.3, Altiris IT Management Suite pcAnywhere Solution 7.0 (aka 12.5.x) and 7.1 (aka 12.6.x), Altiris Client Management Suite pcAnywhere Solution 7.0 (aka 12.5.x) and 7.1 (aka 12.6.x), and Altiris Deployment Solution Remote pcAnywhere Solution 7.1 (aka 12.5.x and 12.6.x) do not properly handle the client state after abnormal termination of a remote session, which allows remote attackers to obtain access to the client by leveraging an "open client session."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0290 affects Symantec pcAnywhere and various Altiris solutions that utilize pcAnywhere functionality. This issue stems from improper handling of client state management when remote sessions terminate unexpectedly or abnormally. The flaw exists in versions through 12.5.3 of Symantec pcAnywhere and corresponding Altiris product versions, creating a persistent security weakness that can be exploited by remote attackers. The vulnerability specifically targets the session state cleanup mechanism, which fails to properly terminate or reset client session states when abnormal termination occurs. This improper state handling creates a window of opportunity where attackers can leverage an "open client session" to gain unauthorized access to the affected system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the pcAnywhere client application's failure to properly validate or reset its internal session state variables when a connection is terminated unexpectedly. When a remote session ends abnormally, such as through network disruption, client crash, or forced termination, the client application does not adequately clean up its session context. This results in a stale session state that remains active and accessible to unauthorized parties. The vulnerability manifests as a session management flaw that allows attackers to reuse or hijack existing session tokens or connection contexts, effectively bypassing normal authentication and authorization mechanisms. This behavior directly relates to CWE-617, which addresses reachable assertion conditions in software implementations, and represents a classic session management vulnerability that enables unauthorized access through session reuse or hijacking.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-0290 is significant as it allows remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to systems running vulnerable versions of pcAnywhere or Altiris solutions. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability without requiring local access or elevated privileges, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where these solutions are commonly deployed. The vulnerability can be exploited to perform unauthorized remote administration, data exfiltration, or further lateral movement within a network. In environments where pcAnywhere is used for remote system administration, this flaw essentially creates a backdoor that remains open even after legitimate users have disconnected. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it does not require any special credentials or prior access to the system, as the vulnerability exploits the inherent flaw in session state management rather than relying on authentication bypass techniques.
Security professionals should implement multiple layers of mitigation for this vulnerability. The primary recommendation is to immediately update to patched versions of Symantec pcAnywhere and Altiris solutions, as vendors have released security updates addressing this specific session management flaw. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of pcAnywhere services to trusted networks only. Additionally, monitoring for abnormal session termination patterns and implementing session timeout mechanisms can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence through session hijacking, making it particularly relevant for organizations implementing comprehensive threat detection strategies. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper state management in remote access solutions and underscores the need for robust session cleanup procedures in enterprise remote access tools.