CVE-2015-1491 in Endpoint Protection Manager
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the management console in Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager (SEPM) 12.1 before 12.1-RU6-MP1 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary SQL commands via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2022
The CVE-2015-1491 vulnerability represents a critical sql injection flaw within Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager's management console interface. This vulnerability affects version 12.1 of the SEPM software prior to the 12.1-RU6-MP1 patch release, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this endpoint protection solution. The flaw specifically targets the management console component that handles administrative functions and user authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it requires only authenticated access to exploit. The vulnerability allows remote attackers who have already established legitimate credentials to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary sql commands against the underlying database system. This represents a serious bypass of the intended security boundaries within the SEPM architecture, as the authenticated user can leverage their legitimate access to perform malicious database operations that could compromise the entire endpoint protection infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the management console's sql query construction mechanisms. When authenticated users submit data through various administrative interfaces, the system fails to properly escape or parameterize user-supplied inputs before incorporating them into sql statements. This allows attackers to inject malicious sql payloads that are then executed by the database engine with the privileges of the affected application. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that multiple entry points within the management console could be exploited, potentially including user account management, policy configuration, reporting functions, or system monitoring interfaces. This broad attack surface increases the likelihood that an attacker can find a suitable exploitation path. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-89 sql injection, which is categorized as a high severity weakness in the CWE top 25 most dangerous software weaknesses list, highlighting the critical nature of sql injection vulnerabilities in enterprise security systems.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-1491 extends far beyond simple data theft or modification, as it provides attackers with the capability to fully compromise the underlying database infrastructure that supports the SEPM management console. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to extract sensitive configuration data, modify endpoint protection policies, disable security features, or even escalate privileges to gain administrative access to the entire SEPM deployment. The database access could reveal information about endpoint devices, user credentials, security policies, and other critical operational data that would otherwise remain protected. Organizations using SEPM for enterprise-wide endpoint protection would face severe consequences if this vulnerability were exploited, as it could undermine the fundamental security posture that the solution is designed to provide. The remote execution capability means attackers do not require physical access to the management server, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in distributed enterprise environments where administrators may access the console from various locations. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 legitimate credentials and T1046 network service scanning, as it leverages legitimate administrative access to perform unauthorized database operations.
Organizations should immediately implement the available patch from Symantec to address this vulnerability, specifically upgrading to SEPM version 12.1-RU6-MP1 or later. The patch addresses the root cause by implementing proper input validation and parameterization of sql queries throughout the management console. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to limit access to the SEPM management console, enforcing strict access controls and privilege separation, and monitoring for unusual database activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security administrators should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous sql execution patterns and alert on potential injection attempts. Regular security assessments of the SEPM environment should be conducted to identify any other potential vulnerabilities in the management infrastructure. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and the critical need for proper input validation in enterprise management systems, as the attack surface for authenticated users must be carefully controlled to prevent privilege escalation attacks that could compromise entire security infrastructures.