CVE-2015-5718 in Triton Content Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the handle_debug_network function in the manager in Websense Content Gateway before 8.0.0 HF02 allows remote administrators to cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted diagnostic command line request to submit_net_debug.cgi.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-5718 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the Websense Content Gateway management infrastructure. This vulnerability specifically affects the handle_debug_network function located in the manager component of the software, which operates as a remote administrative interface for network diagnostic operations. The flaw manifests when the system processes crafted diagnostic command line requests sent through the submit_net_debug.cgi endpoint, creating a condition where attacker-controlled input can exceed the allocated buffer space on the stack. The vulnerability resides in the software's insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize or limit the length of user-supplied data before processing it within the vulnerable function. This particular flaw is classified under CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which is a well-documented weakness in software development practices that occurs when data written to a stack buffer exceeds the buffer's allocated size, potentially overwriting adjacent memory locations including return addresses and function pointers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors when combined with other exploitation techniques. Remote administrators can leverage this vulnerability to cause the Content Gateway service to crash and restart repeatedly, effectively creating a persistent denial of service condition that disrupts network security operations and potentially compromising the availability of content filtering services. The attack requires minimal privileges since it targets the diagnostic interface that is typically accessible to authorized administrators, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrative access controls may be insufficiently enforced. The vulnerability's exploitation mechanism follows the ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for Network Denial of Service, where adversaries target network infrastructure services to disrupt availability. When the buffer overflow occurs, the stack corruption can lead to unpredictable program behavior including crashes, which can be leveraged for more advanced exploitation techniques such as privilege escalation or code execution, though the immediate impact documented is specifically denial of service.
The remediation approach for CVE-2015-5718 requires immediate deployment of the vendor-provided patch or hotfix HF02 for Websense Content Gateway version 8.0.0, which addresses the buffer overflow condition by implementing proper input length validation and bounds checking within the handle_debug_network function. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access control measures to limit exposure of the submit_net_debug.cgi endpoint to only trusted administrative networks, following the principle of least privilege. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual diagnostic command patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while network-based intrusion detection systems should be configured to alert on suspicious requests to the affected CGI endpoint. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation in web applications and demonstrates how seemingly benign diagnostic interfaces can become attack vectors when proper security controls are not implemented. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their Websense Content Gateway deployments to identify any other potentially vulnerable interfaces or functions that may exhibit similar buffer overflow characteristics, and should implement regular security patching procedures to maintain the integrity of their security infrastructure.