CVE-2012-0396 in Documentum xPlore
Summary
by MITRE
EMC Documentum xPlore 1.0, 1.1 before P07, and 1.2 does not properly enforce the requirement for BROWSE permission, which allows remote authenticated users to determine the existence of an object, or read object metadata, via a search.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0396 affects EMC Documentum xPlore versions 1.0, 1.1 before P07, and 1.2, representing a significant authorization bypass flaw that undermines the security model of the Documentum content management system. This issue stems from improper enforcement of BROWSE permission requirements within the application's access control mechanisms, creating a scenario where authenticated users can exploit search functionality to gain unauthorized information disclosure. The flaw operates at the application layer and specifically targets the metadata exposure capabilities of the system, allowing attackers to determine object existence and access metadata without proper authorization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the permission enforcement architecture where the system should have required explicit BROWSE permissions for users to perform search operations that return object information. However, the application's search functionality allows authenticated users to query the system and receive responses indicating whether specific objects exist, along with metadata details such as object types, creation dates, and other identifying characteristics. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a weak access control implementation that falls under CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables attackers to map the content repository structure and identify sensitive objects within the Documentum environment. An attacker with minimal privileges can systematically search for objects, potentially uncovering confidential documents, system configurations, or other sensitive materials that should be restricted to authorized personnel only. This reconnaissance capability can significantly aid in planning more sophisticated attacks, as the attacker gains knowledge about the repository's organization and content distribution patterns. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality aspect of the CIA triad and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1087.001 for account discovery and T1566.001 for credential access through reconnaissance activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-0396 should prioritize immediate patching of affected EMC Documentum xPlore versions to P07 or later releases that address the BROWSE permission enforcement flaw. Organizations should also implement additional access control measures such as restricting search functionality for low-privilege users, implementing more granular permission controls, and conducting regular security assessments of content management systems. Network segmentation and monitoring of search activities can help detect abnormal access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper authorization checking in web applications and underscores the need for comprehensive security testing of access control mechanisms. Organizations should also consider implementing automated tools to identify and remediate similar permission enforcement issues in other enterprise applications, as this type of flaw can be present in various content management and document repository systems.