CVE-2015-2773 in TRITON
Summary
by MITRE
SVM in Websense TRITON V-Series appliances before 8.0.0 allows attackers to read arbitrary files via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/15/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2773 affects the Server Vulnerability Management component within Websense TRITON V-Series appliances running versions prior to 8.0.0. This critical flaw resides in the system's file access controls and represents a significant security weakness that could enable unauthorized data access. The vulnerability operates through unspecified vectors that allow attackers to bypass normal access restrictions and retrieve sensitive files from the affected systems. Such a vulnerability would be particularly concerning in enterprise security environments where these appliances are commonly deployed to protect network traffic and enforce security policies.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and improper access control mechanisms within the SVM subsystem of the Websense TRITON appliance. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform arbitrary file reads, potentially accessing configuration files, user credentials, system logs, and other sensitive data that should remain protected. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple attack paths may exist, making the vulnerability more difficult to fully characterize and defend against. This type of flaw typically falls under CWE-22 - Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory, which represents a common class of vulnerabilities in web applications and security appliances where path traversal attacks can occur.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-2773 extends beyond simple unauthorized data access to potentially compromise the entire security infrastructure of organizations relying on these appliances. Attackers could extract system configuration details that reveal network topology, security policies, and operational procedures that would aid in subsequent attacks. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that could allow attackers to maintain long-term access to sensitive information, potentially leading to data breaches, privilege escalation, and complete system compromise. Organizations using these appliances face significant risk of exposure to advanced persistent threats that could leverage this vulnerability as an initial access point.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Websense TRITON V-Series appliances to version 8.0.0 or later, which would address the underlying file access control issues. Network administrators should also implement additional monitoring and logging to detect unusual file access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper access control implementation and input validation in security appliances, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 - Valid Accounts and T1566 - Phishing, as attackers may use such vulnerabilities to gain initial access to systems. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and privilege separation to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities, ensuring that even if one component is compromised, the broader network remains protected.