CVE-2015-4161 in Afaria
Summary
by MITRE
SAP Afaria does not properly restrict access to unspecified functionality, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information, gain privileges, or have other unspecified impact via unknown vectors, SAP Security Note 2155690.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2019
SAP Afaria represents a comprehensive mobile device management platform that enables enterprises to manage and secure mobile devices within their network infrastructure. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4161 resides within the platform's access control mechanisms, specifically concerning the improper restriction of access to unspecified functionality. This flaw manifests as a critical security weakness that undermines the platform's ability to properly enforce authorization controls, creating potential entry points for malicious actors seeking to exploit the system's security posture. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified functionality access control indicates that multiple attack vectors may be compromised, making the threat landscape particularly concerning for organizations relying on SAP Afaria for mobile device management operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of user permissions and access rights within the SAP Afaria framework. When the system fails to properly restrict access to sensitive functionality, it creates opportunities for unauthorized users to bypass normal authentication and authorization processes. This weakness allows remote attackers to potentially access restricted system components, manipulate administrative functions, or extract confidential data without proper authorization. The unspecified nature of the affected functionality suggests that multiple areas within the platform may be vulnerable, including but not limited to administrative interfaces, configuration settings, or data access mechanisms. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple information disclosure to encompass privilege escalation capabilities and other unspecified consequences that could severely compromise the integrity and availability of managed mobile environments.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-4161 within enterprise mobile device management environments is substantial and multifaceted. Organizations utilizing SAP Afaria for managing corporate mobile devices face significant risks including unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data, potential compromise of mobile device configurations, and unauthorized administrative privileges that could lead to complete system control. The remote attack vector means that threat actors do not require physical access to devices or network infrastructure to exploit this vulnerability, making the attack surface particularly broad. This vulnerability directly impacts the security of mobile device management operations, potentially allowing attackers to deploy malicious configurations, access device logs, or manipulate security policies. The unspecified impact category suggests that the consequences could range from data breaches and privilege escalation to more severe operational disruptions that could affect business continuity and regulatory compliance.
Organizations must implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability within their SAP Afaria deployments. The primary remediation approach involves applying the patch referenced in SAP Security Note 2155690, which provides the necessary code updates to correct the access control restrictions. Additionally, network segmentation and strict firewall rules should be implemented to limit access to SAP Afaria components, particularly administrative interfaces and management ports. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual access patterns or unauthorized attempts to access restricted functionality within the platform. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues, and may relate to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their mobile device management infrastructure and implement principle of least privilege access controls to minimize potential exploitation impact. Regular security audits and penetration testing of SAP Afaria environments are recommended to identify and remediate similar access control weaknesses that could exist within the broader mobile management ecosystem.