CVE-2012-4591 in Enterprise Mobility Manager
Summary
by MITRE
About.aspx in the Portal in McAfee Enterprise Mobility Manager (EMM) before 10.0 discloses the name of the user account for an IIS worker process, which allows remote attackers to obtain potentially sensitive information by visiting this page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/24/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4591 affects the McAfee Enterprise Mobility Manager (EMM) version 10.0 and earlier, specifically targeting the About.aspx page within the Portal component. This issue represents a sensitive information disclosure vulnerability that exposes user account names associated with IIS worker processes, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this mobile device management solution. The vulnerability resides in the web application's error handling or information display mechanisms, where sensitive system details are inadvertently exposed to unauthorized users.
The technical flaw manifests through improper access control and information exposure in the web application layer. When users access the About.aspx page, the application reveals the name of the IIS worker process account, which typically operates with elevated privileges within the system. This exposure occurs due to insufficient input validation and output sanitization practices within the application's response handling. The vulnerability can be categorized under CWE-200, which specifically addresses "Information Exposure" and falls within the broader category of information disclosure flaws that allow attackers to gain unauthorized insight into system components. The IIS worker process account names often contain privileged information that could be leveraged by attackers to understand the system architecture and identify potential attack vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with critical reconnaissance data that can be used for subsequent attacks. The exposed user account names may reveal the system's security configuration, including the use of specific service accounts, domain naming conventions, and privilege structures. This information can significantly aid attackers in planning targeted attacks, potentially leading to privilege escalation or lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability affects organizations using McAfee EMM for mobile device management, where the exposure of worker process account names could compromise the integrity of mobile device management infrastructure and potentially lead to unauthorized access to managed devices.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to McAfee EMM version 10.0 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit access to the affected Portal component, while implementing proper input validation and output sanitization measures. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1087.001, "Account Discovery: Local Account," as it provides attackers with information about local accounts that could be used for further reconnaissance. Additionally, this issue corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1069.001, "Permission Groups Discovery: Local Groups," as the exposed account information may reveal group memberships and privilege structures. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect attempts to access sensitive pages, and regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar information disclosure vulnerabilities in other web applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper information hiding principles and access control implementation in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive enterprise data.