CVE-2015-5610 in N-Able N-Central
Summary
by MITRE
The RSM (aka RSMWinService) service in SolarWinds N-Able N-Central before 9.5.1.4514 uses the same password decryption key across different customers' installations, which makes it easier for remote authenticated users to obtain the cleartext domain-administrator password by locating the encrypted password within HTML source code and then leveraging knowledge of this key from another installation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-5610 represents a critical cryptographic weakness in the RSM service component of SolarWinds N-Able N-Central software versions prior to 9.5.1.4514. This flaw stems from a fundamental design error where the service employs a static decryption key across multiple customer installations, creating a persistent security risk that extends beyond individual organizational boundaries. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it directly undermines the principle of least privilege and proper credential isolation in network management systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the use of a hardcoded cryptographic key that remains consistent across different customer deployments, enabling attackers to perform cross-tenant credential compromise. When authenticated users access the service's web interface, they can extract encrypted password values from the HTML source code, which then becomes vulnerable to decryption using the known static key. This represents a classic case of weak key management and improper cryptographic implementation, aligning with CWE-327 which addresses the use of weak cryptographic algorithms and key management practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple credential theft, as it enables attackers to obtain cleartext domain administrator passwords that provide extensive privileges within target networks. The ability to leverage knowledge from one installation to compromise others creates a scalable attack vector that can result in widespread network infiltration and persistent access. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in managed service provider environments where multiple customers share the same infrastructure components, as it effectively eliminates the security boundary between different organizations.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires only basic web application reconnaissance and authentication access to the affected service, making it highly accessible to threat actors with moderate technical capabilities. Attackers can systematically locate encrypted credentials in HTML sources across different customer installations and use the shared key to decrypt multiple domain administrator passwords, potentially gaining access to critical network infrastructure. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper key management practices and the dangers of hardcoded cryptographic elements in enterprise software solutions. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including software updates to version 9.5.1.4514 or later, which addresses the static key issue by implementing proper key derivation mechanisms and ensuring unique cryptographic parameters for each customer installation.
This vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including credential access methods such as "OS Credential Dumping" and "Brute Force" through the exploitation of weak cryptographic implementations. The attack pattern represents a sophisticated approach to credential compromise that bypasses traditional authentication mechanisms by leveraging the software's inherent cryptographic weaknesses. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following security best practices in software development, particularly regarding cryptographic implementation and key management, as outlined in industry standards such as NIST SP 800-57 for cryptographic key management and OWASP Top 10 for web application security. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their network management tools and ensure that all third-party software components implement proper cryptographic practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities from compromising their security posture.