CVE-2012-2977 in Web Gateway
Summary
by MITRE
The management console in Symantec Web Gateway 5.0.x before 5.0.3.18 allows remote attackers to change arbitrary passwords via crafted input to an application script.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2977 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw within Symantec Web Gateway 5.0.x versions prior to 5.0.3.18. This issue resides in the management console component of the web gateway appliance, which serves as the primary interface for administrators to configure and manage the security appliance's policies and settings. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the application script responsible for password management functionality, creating a pathway for remote attackers to manipulate the authentication system without proper authorization.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted malicious input sent to the application script that handles password modification operations. Attackers can leverage this weakness to change arbitrary user passwords within the management console, effectively gaining unauthorized administrative access to the Symantec Web Gateway appliance. This flaw operates at the application layer and does not require any special privileges or authentication to initiate the attack, making it particularly dangerous in environments where the management console is accessible over the network. The vulnerability essentially allows an attacker to manipulate the password change functionality to target any user account within the system, bypassing normal authentication procedures and authorization checks.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on Symantec Web Gateway for web security protection. Successful exploitation could lead to complete compromise of the web gateway appliance, enabling attackers to modify security policies, redirect traffic, or establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure. The management console typically contains sensitive configuration data and administrative controls that, when compromised, can result in widespread security breaches. Organizations may experience unauthorized access to web traffic filtering rules, potential data exfiltration through modified proxy settings, and complete loss of control over the web gateway's protective capabilities.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which identifies improper input validation as a fundamental weakness in software applications. This weakness creates conditions where attackers can inject malicious data that alters the intended behavior of the application. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for social engineering, as attackers can leverage compromised administrative credentials to maintain persistence and escalate privileges. The attack chain typically involves reconnaissance of the target system, identification of the vulnerable management console, crafting of malicious input payloads, and execution of the password modification attack to gain administrative control.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying the vendor-provided patch version 5.0.3.18 or higher to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation should be implemented to restrict access to the management console to trusted administrative networks only, with proper firewall rules limiting access to specific IP addresses or ranges. Additional security measures include enabling multi-factor authentication for management console access, implementing strong access controls, and conducting regular security assessments of the web gateway appliance. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual password change activities and unauthorized access attempts to the management interface. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and proper authentication mechanisms in security appliances, particularly those handling administrative functions that can compromise entire network infrastructures when exploited.