CVE-2012-4587 in Enterprise Mobility Manager Agent
Summary
by MITRE
McAfee Enterprise Mobility Manager (EMM) Agent before 4.8 and Server before 10.1, when one-time provisioning (OTP) mode is enabled, have an improper dependency on DNS SRV records, which makes it easier for remote attackers to discover user passwords by spoofing the EMM server, as demonstrated by a password entered on an iOS device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-4587 represents a critical weakness in McAfee Enterprise Mobility Manager's authentication mechanism that fundamentally undermines the security of mobile device management operations. This flaw specifically affects versions of the EMM Agent prior to 4.8 and the EMM Server prior to 10.1, where the system's reliance on DNS SRV records for server discovery creates an exploitable dependency that can be manipulated by malicious actors. The vulnerability becomes particularly dangerous when one-time provisioning mode is enabled, as this configuration pathway exposes the system to man-in-the-middle attacks that can intercept and compromise user credentials during the authentication process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the improper handling of DNS SRV record resolution within the EMM framework's authentication flow. When users enter their passwords on iOS devices, the system attempts to resolve the EMM server's location through DNS SRV records to establish secure communication channels. However, the agent fails to properly validate or authenticate these DNS responses, allowing attackers to spoof legitimate EMM server responses by manipulating DNS records to redirect traffic to malicious servers. This weakness directly maps to CWE-200, which addresses improper exposure of sensitive information, and more specifically to CWE-310, which deals with cryptographic issues related to authentication. The flaw essentially removes the cryptographic verification mechanisms that should ensure server authenticity, leaving the authentication process vulnerable to spoofing attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it enables attackers to gain unauthorized access to enterprise mobile device management systems that often contain sensitive corporate data and privileged access credentials. Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability without requiring physical access to devices or network infrastructure, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely heavily on mobile device management for security operations. The attack vector is particularly effective against iOS devices due to their default trust behavior with DNS responses, allowing attackers to intercept the authentication flow during password entry. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers spearphishing through social engineering, and T1071.004, which involves application layer protocol manipulation, as the attack exploits the legitimate DNS-based discovery mechanism to redirect authentication traffic.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies that include disabling one-time provisioning mode if not essential, implementing DNS security measures such as DNSSEC to prevent record manipulation, and establishing network-level monitoring to detect anomalous DNS resolution patterns. The most effective immediate remediation involves upgrading to McAfee EMM Agent version 4.8 and Server version 10.1, which address the improper DNS SRV record handling through enhanced certificate validation and server authentication mechanisms. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing network segmentation to isolate mobile device management traffic and deploy intrusion detection systems capable of monitoring for DNS spoofing attempts. The vulnerability's exploitation demonstrates the critical importance of proper certificate validation and server authentication in mobile device management systems, as outlined in industry standards such as NIST SP 800-57 for cryptographic key management and ISO/IEC 27001 for information security controls. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments to identify any other systems that may be similarly vulnerable to DNS-based authentication bypass attacks, ensuring comprehensive protection against this class of vulnerability that continues to pose significant risks to enterprise mobility security.