CVE-2015-4689 in Banner Student
Summary
by MITRE
Ellucian (formerly SunGard) Banner Student 8.5.1.2 through 8.7 allows remote attackers to reset arbitrary passwords via unspecified vectors, aka "Weak Password Reset."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4689 affects Ellucian Banner Student versions 8.5.1.2 through 8.7, representing a critical weakness in the password reset functionality that exposes the system to remote exploitation. This issue falls under the category of weak authentication mechanisms and specifically relates to improper implementation of password reset procedures that fail to validate the legitimacy of reset requests. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to manipulate the password reset process and potentially reset arbitrary user accounts without proper authorization, creating a significant security risk for educational institutions relying on this student information system.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient validation mechanisms within the password reset functionality, where the system does not adequately verify the identity of users attempting to reset passwords or validate the legitimacy of reset requests. This weakness creates a path for attackers to exploit the authentication system by crafting malicious requests that bypass normal security controls. The unspecified vectors indicate that multiple attack paths may exist within the system's password reset implementation, potentially including weak session management, inadequate token validation, or insufficient user authentication checks. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-620, which addresses weak password reset mechanisms, and represents a failure in implementing proper authentication controls as outlined in the NIST SP 800-63 standard for digital identity management.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple account compromise, as it can lead to full system infiltration and unauthorized access to sensitive student data. Educational institutions using affected versions of Banner Student face significant risks including data breaches, unauthorized access to academic records, financial information, and personal details of students and staff. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain persistent access to institutional systems, potentially enabling them to manipulate student records, access restricted academic information, or conduct further attacks within the network. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors do not require physical access or network proximity to exploit the vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with distributed network infrastructures.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to patched versions of Banner Student, implementing additional authentication controls for password reset functions, and establishing monitoring procedures for suspicious reset activities. Security measures should include enforcing multi-factor authentication for password reset operations, implementing rate limiting on reset requests, and strengthening session management protocols. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following the MITRE ATT&CK framework's authentication tactics, specifically targeting the credential access and privilege escalation phases where such weaknesses can be exploited. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their authentication systems and implement proper access controls as recommended by ISO/IEC 27001 standards for information security management. Additionally, network segmentation and intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor for anomalous password reset activities that could indicate exploitation attempts.