CVE-2015-2772 in TRITON
Summary
by MITRE
SVM in Websense TRITON V-Series appliances before 8.0.0 allows attackers to upload arbitrary files via unspecified vectors.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/15/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2772 affects the Server Virtualization Module within Websense TRITON V-Series appliances operating prior to version 8.0.0. This critical security flaw resides in the file upload functionality of the appliance's web interface, creating a significant attack surface that could be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the appliance's server virtualization component, which processes file upload requests without proper sanitization of user-supplied data. This weakness enables unauthorized individuals to bypass normal security controls and upload potentially malicious files to the target system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves unspecified vectors that likely encompass weak validation routines in the file upload handlers. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious file uploads that bypass the appliance's security checks, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or privilege escalation. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-434, which specifically addresses "Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type," indicating that the system does not properly validate file types or content during the upload process. This weakness creates a direct pathway for attackers to introduce malicious payloads such as web shells, malware, or other harmful code into the appliance's file system. The lack of proper access controls and validation routines means that legitimate users cannot distinguish between safe and malicious uploads, creating an environment where any authenticated user could potentially exploit this weakness.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-2772 extends beyond simple unauthorized file uploads, as it represents a critical compromise of the appliance's integrity and security posture. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain persistent access to the appliance, potentially using it as a foothold for further network penetration. The compromised appliance could then be used to monitor network traffic, redirect requests, or serve as a command and control node for other attacks. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1190 for Exploit Public-Facing Application and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers could leverage the compromised appliance to execute arbitrary commands and scripts. The impact on network security operations could be severe, as the appliance serves as a critical security control point that could be subverted to allow malicious traffic to pass through undetected.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-supplied patches for Websense TRITON V-Series appliances to version 8.0.0 or later, which address the file upload validation issues. Network segmentation should be enforced to limit access to these appliances to authorized personnel only, while implementing additional monitoring for unusual file upload patterns or unauthorized access attempts. Security configurations should be reviewed to ensure that file upload functionality is restricted to legitimate use cases and that proper access controls are enforced. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar weaknesses in network security infrastructure. Organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter file upload requests, while also establishing incident response procedures specifically for dealing with compromised security appliances. Additionally, network administrators should conduct regular vulnerability scans to identify any other potentially affected systems within their environment that may be running older versions of the Websense TRITON software.