CVE-2015-2820 in Afaria
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in XcListener in SAP Afaria 7.0.6001.5 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (process termination) via a crafted request, aka SAP Security Note 2132584.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2820 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the XcListener component of SAP Afaria version 7.0.6001.5. This mobile device management platform serves organizations in managing enterprise mobile devices and applications, making the security implications particularly severe. The flaw resides in how the XcListener processes incoming requests, specifically when handling malformed or crafted input data that exceeds allocated buffer boundaries. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This particular implementation flaw enables remote attackers to exploit the system without requiring authentication, creating a significant risk for enterprise environments that rely on SAP Afaria for mobile device management operations.
The technical exploitation of this buffer overflow vulnerability occurs when an attacker sends a specially crafted request to the affected SAP Afaria server. The XcListener component fails to properly validate the length of incoming data before copying it into fixed-size buffers, allowing the attacker to overwrite critical memory segments including return addresses and control data. When the buffer overflow occurs, it typically results in abnormal program termination or process crash, effectively causing a denial of service condition that disrupts legitimate mobile device management operations. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations that can lead to arbitrary code execution or system instability. This particular variant specifically targets the denial of service aspect rather than code execution, though the underlying buffer overflow condition creates opportunities for more sophisticated attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-2820 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise enterprise mobile device management capabilities. Organizations using SAP Afaria for managing corporate smartphones, tablets, and other mobile endpoints face significant business continuity risks when this vulnerability is exploited. The denial of service condition can prevent legitimate administrators from managing devices, deploying security patches, or monitoring mobile device compliance. This vulnerability directly affects the availability aspect of the CIA triad and can be leveraged as part of broader attack campaigns targeting enterprise mobile infrastructure. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving denial of service and system compromise, potentially enabling attackers to establish persistence or escalate privileges within the mobile management ecosystem.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of SAP Security Note 2132584, which provides the necessary patches and updates to address this buffer overflow condition. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive network monitoring to detect exploitation attempts and implementation of network segmentation to limit the attack surface. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their mobile device management infrastructure to identify similar vulnerabilities in related components. Regular patch management processes must be strengthened to ensure timely deployment of security updates, particularly for critical enterprise applications. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of input validation and bounds checking in network services, with implications for secure coding practices that should be enforced across all enterprise applications handling external data inputs.