CVE-2012-4613 in Data Protection Manager Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
EMC RSA Data Protection Manager Appliance 2.7.x and 3.x before 3.2.1 does not properly restrict the number of authentication attempts by a user account, which makes it easier for local users to bypass intended access restrictions via a brute-force attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4613 affects the EMC RSA Data Protection Manager Appliance version 2.7.x and 3.x before 3.2.1, representing a critical security flaw in the authentication mechanism of this data protection system. This issue stems from inadequate implementation of account lockout policies and authentication attempt monitoring, creating a significant weakness that directly impacts the appliance's ability to enforce access controls. The vulnerability allows local attackers to exploit the system through brute-force attacks by repeatedly attempting to authenticate with various credential combinations without proper rate limiting or account restriction measures.
The technical flaw manifests as a failure to implement proper authentication attempt controls that would normally prevent excessive login attempts from a single account. This deficiency creates an environment where malicious actors can systematically test numerous password combinations against user accounts without encountering account lockout mechanisms or temporary access restrictions. The vulnerability specifically targets the appliance's authentication subsystem, where the lack of proper rate limiting allows for continuous brute-force attempts that could eventually compromise user accounts. This issue falls under the category of weak authentication controls and inadequate access restriction enforcement, with implications that align with CWE-305 authentication bypass weaknesses and CWE-307 improper access control mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial for organizations relying on the EMC RSA Data Protection Manager Appliance for their data protection infrastructure. Local attackers who can exploit this weakness gain elevated privileges through successful brute-force attacks, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive backup data, modification of backup configurations, or complete system compromise. The vulnerability undermines the fundamental security posture of the appliance by allowing attackers to bypass intended access restrictions that should prevent unauthorized system access. Organizations may face data breaches, compliance violations, and operational disruptions when attackers successfully exploit this weakness to gain access to critical backup systems that protect their enterprise data assets.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate implementation of account lockout policies and authentication attempt monitoring within the appliance's configuration. System administrators should configure appropriate limits on failed authentication attempts, implement temporary account lockouts, and establish monitoring procedures to detect and respond to brute-force attack patterns. The most effective remediation involves upgrading to EMC RSA Data Protection Manager Appliance version 3.2.1 or later, which includes proper authentication attempt controls and account restriction mechanisms. Additional security measures should include network segmentation to limit local access to the appliance, implementation of intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious authentication patterns, and regular security audits to verify proper configuration of authentication controls. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication mechanisms and establishing automated alerting for excessive failed authentication attempts to further strengthen their defense against this type of attack vector. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper authentication control implementation and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1110 brute force attacks and T1078 valid accounts usage patterns that attackers exploit to maintain persistent access to target systems.