CVE-2013-3271 in RSA Authentication Agent for PAM
Summary
by MITRE
EMC RSA Authentication Agent for PAM 7.0 before 7.0.2.1 enforces the maximum number of login attempts within the PAM-enabled application codebase, instead of within the Agent codebase, which makes it easier for remote attackers to discover correct login credentials via a brute-force attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2019
The CVE-2013-3271 vulnerability affects the EMC RSA Authentication Agent for PAM version 7.0 before 7.0.2.1, representing a critical flaw in authentication security implementation. This vulnerability stems from a design decision where the authentication agent fails to enforce maximum login attempt limits within its own codebase, instead delegating this responsibility to the PAM-enabled application codebase. The flaw creates a significant security gap that directly impacts the strength of credential protection mechanisms. According to CWE-305 authentication bypass, this vulnerability specifically targets the authentication process by weakening the protection against automated attack vectors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows attackers to exploit the misconfigured authentication flow by conducting brute-force attacks against the system. When login attempts exceed the configured maximum, the agent should enforce account lockout or temporary disablement within its own code execution context. However, due to the flawed implementation, these security controls are not properly enforced, enabling attackers to systematically test numerous credential combinations without triggering the intended account protection mechanisms. This misalignment between expected and actual behavior creates an exploitable condition that significantly reduces the effectiveness of authentication security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it provides remote attackers with an increased attack surface for credential guessing and brute-force attempts. Attackers can leverage this weakness to systematically test username and password combinations without encountering the expected rate limiting or account lockout mechanisms. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where PAM authentication is used for system access control, making it easier for threat actors to compromise accounts through automated credential testing. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1110 brute force attacks, which specifically targets authentication systems to gain unauthorized access through repeated login attempts.
Security professionals should prioritize this vulnerability as it directly undermines the fundamental principle of authentication security by removing essential rate limiting controls. The remediation approach requires updating the RSA Authentication Agent to version 7.0.2.1 or later, which properly implements the authentication attempt limits within the agent codebase itself. Organizations should also review their PAM configurations to ensure that authentication controls are properly enforced at the agent level rather than relying on application-level implementations. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper authentication implementation and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of authentication components. The flaw serves as a reminder of the necessity for robust security controls at multiple layers of system architecture, particularly when dealing with credential-based access mechanisms.