CVE-2015-4546 in RSA Certificate Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in EMC RSA OneStep 6.9 before build 559, as used in RSA Certificate Manager and RSA Registration Manager through 6.9 build 558 and other products, allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via a crafted KCSOSC_ERROR_PAGE parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2022
The CVE-2015-4546 vulnerability represents a critical directory traversal flaw affecting EMC RSA OneStep 6.9 products including RSA Certificate Manager and RSA Registration Manager. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the KCSOSC_ERROR_PAGE parameter processing functionality. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious requests that manipulate the error page parameter to traverse directory structures and access sensitive files on the affected systems. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions prior to build 559, making all installations between the initial release and build 558 susceptible to exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the improper sanitization of user-supplied input within the error handling mechanism of the RSA OneStep platform. When the system processes error conditions, it fails to adequately validate or sanitize the KCSOSC_ERROR_PAGE parameter, allowing attackers to inject directory traversal sequences such as ../ or ..\ that bypass normal file access controls. This flaw operates at the application layer and demonstrates a classic path traversal vulnerability pattern that aligns with CWE-22, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory. The vulnerability enables attackers to access files outside the intended directory structure, potentially exposing sensitive configuration files, credential stores, or other system resources that should remain protected from unauthorized access.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on RSA Certificate Manager and Registration Manager systems. Remote attackers can leverage this weakness to access arbitrary files on the target system, potentially obtaining sensitive information such as database credentials, private keys, configuration files, or other confidential data stored within the application's file system. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure, as successful exploitation could lead to further system compromise, privilege escalation, or lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access or network-level privileges to perform the attack, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where these systems may be exposed to untrusted networks.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates released after build 559. The recommended approach involves configuring input validation controls to sanitize all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in error handling and page rendering functions. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of affected systems to untrusted networks. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help detect and block malicious requests attempting to exploit this vulnerability. Security monitoring should include checking for unusual file access patterns and parameter manipulation attempts that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing proper input validation as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected versions of RSA OneStep products and ensure complete remediation across their infrastructure.