CVE-2015-2859 in ePolicy Orchestrator
Summary
by MITRE
Intel McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) 4.x through 4.6.9 and 5.x through 5.1.2 does not validate server names and Certification Authority names in X.509 certificates from SSL servers, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof servers and obtain sensitive information via a crafted certificate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2859 represents a critical security flaw in Intel McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator versions 4.x through 4.6.9 and 5.x through 5.1.2. This issue stems from inadequate SSL certificate validation mechanisms within the ePO platform, specifically failing to properly validate server names and Certification Authority names contained within X.509 certificates. The flaw creates a significant attack surface that enables malicious actors to perform man-in-the-middle attacks against the ePO infrastructure, compromising the integrity and confidentiality of communications between the ePO server and its connected endpoints.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper implementation of SSL/TLS certificate validation routines within the ePO software. When establishing secure connections, the system should verify that the presented X.509 certificate matches the expected server name and is issued by a trusted Certification Authority. However, the vulnerable ePO versions bypass these critical validation steps, allowing attackers to present forged certificates that appear legitimate to the system. This weakness directly maps to CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 for network service scanning and T1566 for credential harvesting through social engineering. The vulnerability essentially creates a trust relationship that can be easily exploited by adversaries who craft malicious certificates designed to bypass the system's validation logic.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-2859 extends far beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally undermines the security posture of organizations relying on McAfee ePO for endpoint protection management. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can establish unauthorized communication channels with ePO servers, potentially gaining access to sensitive configuration data, endpoint inventory information, and administrative credentials. This compromise enables adversaries to manipulate security policies, deploy malicious software, and maintain persistent access to the organization's security infrastructure. The vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where ePO serves as a central management platform for security policies, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to undermine security operations and gain broader access to network resources.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of McAfee ePO, implementing additional network-level security controls, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of their ePO environments. The recommended approach involves deploying certificate pinning mechanisms where possible, implementing network segmentation to limit ePO server exposure, and establishing robust monitoring for anomalous certificate validation events. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically configured to detect certificate-related anomalies and establish incident response procedures for potential exploitation of this vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should review their overall PKI implementation and ensure that proper certificate validation policies are enforced across all security infrastructure components to prevent similar vulnerabilities from existing in other systems.