CVE-2015-7310 in Enterprise Security Manager
Summary
by MITRE
McAfee Enterprise Security Manager (ESM), Enterprise Security Manager/Log Manager (ESMLM), and Enterprise Security Manager/Receiver (ESMREC) before 9.3.2MR18, 9.4.x before 9.4.2MR8, and 9.5.x before 9.5.0MR7 allow remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary OS commands via a crafted filename, which is not properly handled when downloading the file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/11/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7310 represents a critical command injection flaw affecting multiple components of McAfee Enterprise Security Manager ecosystem including ESM, ESMLM, and ESMREC. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied filenames during the file download process. The flaw specifically manifests when authenticated remote attackers craft malicious filenames that bypass normal validation procedures, allowing them to inject and execute arbitrary operating system commands on the affected systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability falls under the category of command injection as defined by CWE-77, where attacker-controlled data is incorporated into system commands without proper sanitization. The vulnerability occurs within the file handling subsystem of McAfee's security management platform, where the software fails to properly escape or validate special characters in filenames that could potentially be interpreted as command delimiters or operators by the underlying operating system. This allows an authenticated attacker to manipulate the download process and execute malicious commands with the privileges of the affected service account.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to enterprise security infrastructure as it enables authenticated attackers to gain arbitrary code execution capabilities on critical security management systems. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation since these components typically operate with elevated privileges and maintain access to sensitive security data and network monitoring information. An attacker could potentially use this vulnerability to establish persistent access, exfiltrate security logs, or manipulate the security posture of the entire enterprise network. The remote execution capability means that attackers do not require physical access or network position within the target environment, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on centralized security management solutions.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires an authenticated user account, which limits its scope compared to unauthenticated attacks, but still represents a significant risk since it allows for privilege escalation within the security management environment. Organizations using affected versions of McAfee ESM products should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches, implementing network segmentation to limit access to these systems, and monitoring for unusual file download activities. The vulnerability aligns with tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation and command execution categories, specifically targeting the execution of malicious code through legitimate system processes. Organizations should also consider implementing additional monitoring controls around file download operations and user activities that could indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation approach should include not only patching the vulnerable software versions but also conducting comprehensive security assessments of the affected systems to ensure no malicious code has been executed or persistent access established through this vulnerability.