CVE-2013-6180 in RSA Security Analytics
Summary
by MITRE
EMC RSA Security Analytics (SA) 10.x before 10.3, and RSA NetWitness NextGen 9.8, does not ensure that SA Core requests originate from the SA REST UI, which allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions by sending a Core request from a web browser or other unintended user agent.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-6180 represents a critical access control flaw within EMC RSA Security Analytics and RSA NetWitness NextGen platforms. This issue affects versions 10.x prior to 10.3 and RSA NetWitness NextGen 9.8, where the system fails to properly validate the source of requests made to the SA Core component. The flaw stems from insufficient authentication and authorization mechanisms that should verify whether incoming requests originate from legitimate sources such as the SA REST UI interface. Without proper source verification, the system accepts requests from any user agent, including web browsers or other unintended clients that may not be authorized to access core system functions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a breakdown in the request validation process where the SA Core component does not perform adequate checks to ensure that requests are coming from trusted interfaces. This allows attackers to exploit the system by crafting requests that appear to originate from the legitimate REST UI but are actually generated by malicious actors using standard web browsers or automated tools. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the trust relationship that should exist between the UI and core components, effectively bypassing intended security controls. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in authentication where the system fails to properly verify the source of requests, specifically categorized under CWE-287 which deals with improper authentication mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to core system functionalities that should be restricted to authorized administrators. Attackers can potentially execute privileged operations, access sensitive data, modify system configurations, or even escalate their privileges within the security analytics environment. This poses significant risks to organizations relying on these platforms for security monitoring and threat detection, as the compromise of core system functions could lead to complete system takeover or data exfiltration. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations using RSA Security Analytics for critical security operations, where unauthorized access could result in the exposure of security events, forensic data, or operational details that are essential for maintaining network security posture.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper request source validation and strengthening authentication mechanisms within the RSA Security Analytics platform. Organizations should immediately upgrade to versions 10.3 or later where this vulnerability has been addressed through enhanced access control measures. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to core system components, ensuring that only authorized UI interfaces can communicate with the SA Core. Additionally, implementing strict monitoring and logging of all system requests can help detect unauthorized access attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability relates to privilege escalation and defense evasion techniques, as attackers can leverage it to bypass access controls and maintain persistent access to the system. The recommended security controls include enabling proper authentication, implementing request origin verification, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar access control weaknesses in the platform.