CVE-2015-6556 in Endpoint Encryption
Summary
by MITRE
EACommunicatorSrv.exe in the Framework Service in the client in Symantec Endpoint Encryption (SEE) before 11.1.0 allows remote authenticated users to discover credentials by triggering a memory dump.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6556 affects Symantec Endpoint Encryption Framework Service client component, specifically the EACommunicatorSrv.exe process. This flaw exists within the communication server functionality that handles encrypted data processing and management tasks. The vulnerability represents a critical information disclosure issue that undermines the security posture of endpoint encryption systems. The affected version range includes Symantec Endpoint Encryption products prior to version 11.1.0, indicating this was a long-standing issue that required significant remediation efforts.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves a memory dump trigger that occurs when authenticated users interact with the Framework Service. The flaw stems from improper handling of memory structures within the EACommunicatorSrv.exe process, which fails to adequately sanitize or protect sensitive credential information stored in memory. When specific communication sequences are initiated, the process generates memory dumps that inadvertently expose authentication credentials and potentially other sensitive data elements. This behavior aligns with CWE-200, which covers improper exposure of sensitive information, and demonstrates how process memory management can create attack vectors for credential harvesting.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential disclosure, as it provides attackers with access to authentication mechanisms that could enable further exploitation within encrypted environments. Remote authenticated users can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to encryption keys, user credentials, and potentially system access tokens that would normally remain protected. The attack scenario typically involves an attacker with legitimate credentials to access the SEE client system, who then exploits this flaw to extract additional sensitive information from memory dumps. This vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality and integrity aspects of the CIA triad, as it allows unauthorized information disclosure while potentially enabling privilege escalation.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability requires authentication to exploit, which limits its immediate impact compared to unauthenticated attacks. However, the potential for credential compromise makes it particularly dangerous in environments where attackers might obtain legitimate user credentials through social engineering or other means. The remediation strategy involves updating to Symantec Endpoint Encryption version 11.1.0 or later, which includes memory handling improvements and credential protection mechanisms. Organizations should also implement monitoring for unusual memory dump generation patterns and consider network segmentation to limit the potential impact of such credential exposure. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management in security-critical applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1003.001 for OS credential dumping, though it operates at a different system level within the encryption framework.