CVE-2015-3655 in ClearPass Policy Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Aruba Networks ClearPass Policy Manager before 6.4.7 and 6.5.x before 6.5.2 allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators by leveraging improper enforcement of the anti-CSRF token.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/11/2019
The CVE-2015-3655 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery weakness in Aruba Networks ClearPass Policy Manager software versions prior to 6.4.7 and 6.5.x before 6.5.2. This vulnerability exposes the authentication system to remote exploitation by attackers who can manipulate administrative sessions through forged requests. The flaw specifically resides in the improper enforcement of anti-CSRF tokens, which are essential security mechanisms designed to prevent unauthorized commands from being executed on behalf of authenticated users. ClearPass Policy Manager serves as a centralized identity and access management solution that controls network access for enterprise environments, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could allow attackers to assume administrative privileges and gain complete control over network access policies.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the failure of the ClearPass Policy Manager to properly validate anti-CSRF tokens across all administrative operations. When administrators interact with the web-based management interface, the system should verify that requests originate from legitimate administrative sessions rather than malicious third-party websites. However, the vulnerability allows attackers to craft malicious web pages or exploit existing web content that can trigger administrative actions without proper authentication verification. This weakness enables attackers to perform sensitive operations such as modifying user accounts, changing network policies, or accessing restricted administrative functions. The vulnerability falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.002 for credential access through web application attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it compromises the fundamental security model of the ClearPass Policy Manager. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can effectively hijack active administrator sessions and execute commands with full administrative privileges, potentially leading to complete network compromise. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that ClearPass Policy Manager typically operates in enterprise environments where it manages critical network access controls, authentication policies, and user access rights. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized network access, data exfiltration, policy manipulation, and disruption of network services. Organizations using vulnerable versions face significant risk of unauthorized administrative access, which could lead to prolonged undetected presence within their network infrastructure and potential lateral movement to other systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-3655 should prioritize immediate patching of affected ClearPass Policy Manager versions to 6.4.7 or 6.5.2 and later releases where the CSRF token enforcement has been properly implemented. Network administrators should also implement additional protective measures including strict web application firewalls, monitoring for suspicious administrative activities, and regular security assessments of the ClearPass environment. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper session management and token validation in web applications, particularly those handling administrative functions. Organizations should conduct thorough security reviews of their network access management systems and ensure that all web-based administrative interfaces properly enforce anti-CSRF protections. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the necessity for robust input validation and session management practices in enterprise security infrastructure, as highlighted in various security frameworks including NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 standards for access control and session management.