CVE-2014-8524 in Network Data Loss Prevention
Summary
by MITRE
McAfee Network Data Loss Prevention (NDLP) before 9.3 does not disable the autocomplete setting for the password and other fields, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-8524 affects McAfee Network Data Loss Prevention software versions prior to 9.3, representing a significant security flaw that undermines the protection of sensitive information within enterprise environments. This issue specifically targets the web-based administrative interface of the NDLP solution, where the application fails to properly configure autocomplete functionality for critical input fields including password fields and other sensitive data entry points. The flaw exists in the application's user interface implementation rather than in core security protocols, making it a client-side configuration issue that can be exploited by remote attackers without requiring privileged access or complex attack vectors.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to implement proper HTML attributes that would disable autocomplete features for sensitive input fields. When autocomplete is enabled on password fields, the browser stores and suggests previously entered credentials, creating potential exposure points for attackers who gain access to the victim's browser cache or session data. This vulnerability operates under the CWE-200 category of "Information Exposure" and specifically aligns with CWE-306 "Missing Authentication for Critical Function" and CWE-312 "Sensitive Data in Browser" as it allows unauthorized access to potentially sensitive information through browser-based mechanisms. The flaw represents a classic example of insufficient input validation and security configuration where the application does not properly enforce security controls at the user interface level.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it can potentially expose additional sensitive information that users might have previously entered into the NDLP administrative interface. Attackers could leverage this weakness to gather information about network configurations, user accounts, system details, or other administrative data that might not be directly exposed through other attack vectors. The remote nature of the attack means that an adversary could exploit this vulnerability from outside the network perimeter, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on web-based administrative interfaces for their security solutions. This vulnerability affects organizations that use McAfee NDLP in environments where web browsers are used for administrative access, potentially compromising the security posture of network data loss prevention systems that are specifically designed to protect against data exfiltration.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to McAfee NDLP version 9.3 or later, which addresses this autocomplete configuration issue. System administrators should also conduct thorough audits of their web-based administrative interfaces to ensure that similar autocomplete configurations are disabled for sensitive fields across all applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following security best practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Top 10 and NIST Cybersecurity Framework, particularly in the areas of input validation and secure configuration management. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional monitoring and detection capabilities to identify potential exploitation attempts, as this type of vulnerability can be difficult to detect through traditional security scanning methods and may require specific behavioral monitoring to identify unauthorized access patterns.