CVE-2015-8148 in Encryption Management Server
Summary
by MITRE
The LDAP service in Symantec Encryption Management Server (SEMS) 3.3.2 before MP12 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information about administrator accounts via a modified request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8148 affects Symantec Encryption Management Server version 3.3.2 before MP12, specifically within its Lightweight Directory Access Protocol service implementation. This flaw represents a significant security weakness that enables remote attackers to extract sensitive information regarding administrator accounts through manipulation of LDAP requests. The vulnerability exists due to inadequate input validation and insufficient access controls within the LDAP service component, creating an information disclosure scenario that could severely compromise the security posture of organizations relying on this encryption management solution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted LDAP requests that bypass normal authentication and authorization mechanisms. Attackers can modify standard LDAP queries to retrieve administrative account details including usernames, account status information, and potentially other sensitive attributes that should remain restricted to authorized personnel only. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-200, which specifically addresses information exposure, and represents a classic case of insufficient input sanitization combined with improper access control enforcement. The flaw demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege, where the LDAP service does not properly validate or restrict the scope of information that can be accessed through modified requests.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-8148 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the exposure of administrator account details provides attackers with critical intelligence for subsequent attack phases. Knowledge of administrative credentials, account status, and user roles can facilitate privilege escalation attempts, account takeover scenarios, and further compromise of the encryption management infrastructure. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1087.001, which covers account discovery through directory service queries, and represents a significant risk to organizations that depend on SEMS for managing encryption keys and sensitive data protection. The potential for cascading security breaches increases substantially when attackers can leverage this information to target other systems within the organization's infrastructure.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the available security patches from Symantec, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the LDAP service, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of their encryption management infrastructure. Additional protective measures should include monitoring LDAP traffic for anomalous request patterns, implementing strict access controls for LDAP service endpoints, and establishing robust incident response procedures to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper access control configurations in enterprise encryption management systems, as these components form the foundation of data protection and security operations within organizations relying on centralized encryption management solutions.