CVE-2012-6298 in IdentityMinder
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in CA IdentityMinder r12.0 through CR16, r12.5 before SP15, and r12.6 GA allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands or modify data via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/02/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-6298 affects CA IdentityMinder versions ranging from r12.0 through CR16, r12.5 before SP15, and r12.6 GA, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands or modify data within the affected systems. This unspecified vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the identity management platform, creating potential attack vectors that could be exploited from remote locations without requiring authentication. The affected software operates as a comprehensive identity and access management solution, managing user identities, access controls, and authentication processes across enterprise environments, making it a prime target for malicious actors seeking to compromise organizational security postures.
The technical nature of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of user-supplied input within the CA IdentityMinder application, which allows attackers to inject malicious code or commands that execute within the context of the application's privileges. This flaw typically manifests through insufficient validation of parameters passed to the system, enabling attackers to manipulate application logic or directly execute system commands on the underlying server. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified suggests that the exact technical mechanism remains undisclosed, but it likely involves buffer overflows, injection attacks, or other input manipulation techniques that bypass normal security controls. Such vulnerabilities often map to CWE-77 (Command Injection) or CWE-89 (SQL Injection) categories within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, though the specific vector remains undetermined in the public disclosure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data compromise, as remote command execution capabilities enable attackers to gain full control over affected systems. Organizations utilizing CA IdentityMinder for critical identity management functions face severe risks including unauthorized access to user accounts, privilege escalation, data theft, and potential lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can target these systems from outside the corporate network, making traditional perimeter defenses insufficient for protection. This threat landscape aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) and T1078 (Valid Accounts), as attackers could leverage compromised identity management systems to establish persistent access and execute malicious commands while maintaining operational stealth.
Organizations should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including applying available patches from CA Technologies, implementing network segmentation to limit access to identity management systems, and deploying robust monitoring solutions to detect anomalous command execution patterns. Additional defensive measures should encompass input validation controls, privilege separation, and regular security assessments of identity management infrastructure. System administrators must also consider implementing Web Application Firewalls and intrusion detection systems specifically configured to monitor for exploitation attempts targeting identity management platforms. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies for enterprise identity management systems, as these platforms serve as central control points for organizational access and authentication mechanisms, making them attractive targets for sophisticated cyber adversaries seeking to establish persistent access to enterprise networks.