CVE-2015-7902 in Mango Automation
Summary
by MITRE
Infinite Automation Mango Automation 2.5.x and 2.6.x before 2.6.0 build 430 provides different error messages for failed login attempts in unspecified circumstances, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a series of requests.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7902 affects Infinite Automation Mango Automation versions 2.5.x and 2.6.x prior to build 430, representing a significant information disclosure weakness in the authentication mechanism. This flaw manifests when the system provides different error messages for failed login attempts under unspecified circumstances, creating a scenario where attackers can exploit these varying responses to gather sensitive information about the system. The vulnerability falls under the category of information exposure through error handling, which is classified as CWE-209 in the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. The inconsistent error messaging creates a side-channel attack vector that can be leveraged by threat actors to infer valid usernames, account status information, and potentially other system details through systematic analysis of response variations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's authentication subsystem failing to provide uniform error responses regardless of whether a username exists in the system or if a password is incorrect. When attackers submit login requests with various combinations of valid and invalid credentials, they receive different error messages that reveal whether a particular username exists in the user database. This behavior directly violates security best practices for authentication systems, as it provides attackers with actionable intelligence that would otherwise remain hidden. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited remotely without requiring any special privileges or authentication, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where automation systems are accessible from external networks.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-7902 extends beyond simple credential enumeration, as it enables attackers to perform more sophisticated reconnaissance activities that can lead to successful compromise of the automation system. An attacker can systematically test various username combinations and analyze the different error responses to build a comprehensive user directory, which can then be used for targeted attacks such as password spraying or brute force attempts against valid accounts. This vulnerability directly relates to the ATT&CK technique T1078.004 - Valid Accounts: Cloud Accounts, where attackers can leverage information disclosure to obtain valid credentials or account information that can be used for persistence and lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability also contributes to the broader threat of credential stuffing attacks, as the leaked information can be combined with other data sources to increase attack success rates.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-7902 should focus on implementing consistent error handling throughout the authentication process, ensuring that all failed login attempts return identical generic error messages regardless of the underlying cause. Organizations should update their Mango Automation installations to build 430 or later versions where this vulnerability has been addressed through improved authentication error handling. The implementation of account lockout mechanisms and rate limiting can further reduce the effectiveness of automated attack tools that rely on repeated login attempts to gather information. Security configurations should also include monitoring for unusual login patterns and implementing proper logging of authentication attempts to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of automation systems to untrusted networks, reducing the attack surface available to remote adversaries. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining consistent security practices in authentication systems and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing that includes analysis of error handling behaviors.