CVE-2015-7919 in SearchBlox
Summary
by MITRE
SearchBlox 8.3 before 8.3.1 allows remote attackers to write to the config file, and consequently cause a denial of service (application crash), via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2018
CVE-2015-7919 represents a critical file permission vulnerability within SearchBlox 8.3 before 8.3.1 that enables remote attackers to manipulate configuration files through unspecified attack vectors. This vulnerability falls under the category of insecure direct object reference and privilege escalation issues, with direct implications for application availability and system stability. The flaw allows adversaries to write to critical configuration files, which can lead to complete application crashes and denial of service conditions that severely impact business operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls and file system permission management within the SearchBlox application. Attackers can exploit this weakness to inject malicious content into configuration files, potentially altering application behavior or rendering the service completely non-functional. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple attack pathways may exist, including but not limited to improper input validation, weak authentication mechanisms, or insufficient authorization checks that allow unauthorized file modifications. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely without requiring local system access or elevated privileges.
From an operational impact perspective, the vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations relying on SearchBlox for content indexing and search functionality. When an attacker successfully modifies configuration files, the application may crash or behave unpredictably, leading to complete service disruption. This denial of service condition can result in lost productivity, customer dissatisfaction, and potential revenue loss for businesses dependent on search capabilities. The vulnerability also increases the attack surface for more sophisticated attacks that could leverage the initial compromise to gain further system access or escalate privileges within the network environment.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patch to upgrade to SearchBlox 8.3.1 or later versions that address this configuration file write vulnerability. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to SearchBlox services, particularly limiting administrative interfaces to trusted networks only. Regular security audits should be conducted to verify proper file permissions and access controls on configuration files. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses incorrect permissions for critical resources, and may map to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms that attackers could exploit to maintain access to compromised systems. Additionally, implementing file integrity monitoring solutions can help detect unauthorized modifications to critical configuration files and provide early warning of potential exploitation attempts.