CVE-2012-4609 in RSA NetWitness Informer
Summary
by MITRE
The web interface in EMC RSA NetWitness Informer before 2.0.5.6 allows remote attackers to conduct clickjacking attacks via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/07/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4609 affects the web interface of EMC RSA NetWitness Informer version 2.0.5.5 and earlier. This security flaw enables remote attackers to execute clickjacking attacks, a technique where malicious actors deceive users into clicking on elements that appear to be legitimate interface components but actually perform unauthorized actions. The vulnerability resides in the web-based management interface of the network monitoring and security analytics platform, which is designed to provide administrators with centralized control over security events and network traffic analysis.
The technical implementation of this clickjacking vulnerability stems from the absence of proper protection mechanisms within the web interface. Clickjacking attacks exploit the ability of modern web browsers to load content from different origins within the same page through iframe elements. Attackers can craft malicious web pages that overlay transparent or invisible layers on top of legitimate interface elements, tricking users into performing unintended actions when they interact with what they believe to be normal interface components. This vulnerability specifically impacts the authentication and administrative functions of the RSA NetWitness Informer platform, potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive network monitoring data and configuration controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations relying on RSA NetWitness Informer for security operations. An attacker could potentially gain unauthorized access to the administrative interface, enabling them to modify security policies, view sensitive network data, or manipulate monitoring configurations. This could lead to complete compromise of the network security monitoring capabilities, allowing attackers to remain undetected while potentially accessing confidential information. The vulnerability affects organizations that have not yet upgraded to version 2.0.5.6 or later, which includes the necessary protections against such attacks. The risk is particularly elevated for environments where the web interface is directly accessible from untrusted networks or where users may be targeted through phishing campaigns that direct them to malicious pages.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to EMC RSA NetWitness Informer version 2.0.5.6 or later, which contains the necessary security patches to prevent clickjacking attacks. Additionally, administrators should implement Content Security Policy headers that prevent the application from being embedded in iframes from external domains. The use of X-Frame-Options headers should be configured to restrict frame embedding, and organizations should conduct regular security assessments to identify other potential clickjacking vulnerabilities in their web applications. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-1021, which specifically addresses insufficient protection against clickjacking attacks, and represents a common threat vector that maps to attack techniques in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the category of privilege escalation through web interface manipulation.