CVE-2015-6816 in Ganglia-web
Summary
by MITRE
ganglia-web before 3.7.1 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2022
The CVE-2015-6816 vulnerability affects ganglia-web versions prior to 3.7.1, representing a critical authentication bypass flaw that enables remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to monitoring systems. This vulnerability resides within the web interface component of ganglia, a distributed monitoring system widely used for collecting and displaying metrics from clusters of machines. The flaw stems from improper validation of authentication tokens and session management mechanisms within the web application layer, creating a pathway for malicious actors to circumvent the intended access controls without legitimate credentials.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits weaknesses in the authentication flow where the system fails to properly verify user credentials before granting access to administrative functions and monitoring data. Attackers can leverage this flaw by crafting specific requests that bypass the standard login process, effectively allowing them to access sensitive monitoring information, modify system configurations, or potentially execute arbitrary commands depending on the underlying system permissions. This authentication bypass occurs at the application layer and can be exploited remotely without requiring prior knowledge of valid user credentials, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where ganglia-web interfaces are exposed to external networks.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-6816 extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can lead to complete compromise of monitoring infrastructure and potential lateral movement within affected networks. Organizations relying on ganglia for cluster monitoring face significant risks including data exfiltration, system manipulation, and disruption of critical infrastructure monitoring. The vulnerability directly violates security principles outlined in CWE-287, which addresses authentication failures, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting. This flaw particularly affects environments where ganglia-web interfaces are not properly secured behind firewalls or additional authentication layers, creating attack vectors that can be exploited by adversaries with minimal technical expertise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-6816 primarily involve immediate deployment of ganglia-web version 3.7.1 or later, which includes proper authentication validation and session management improvements. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to restrict access to ganglia-web interfaces, deploy additional authentication mechanisms such as LDAP or Active Directory integration, and ensure that monitoring interfaces are not exposed to untrusted networks. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual access patterns or authentication attempts that might indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar authentication bypass issues in other monitoring and management systems within the infrastructure. The remediation process must also include reviewing and updating access control policies to ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive monitoring data and system configurations.