CVE-2016-1594 in Novell Service Desk
Summary
by MITRE
Micro Focus Novell Service Desk before 7.2 allows remote authenticated users to read arbitrary attachments via a request to a LiveTime.woa URL, as demonstrated by obtaining sensitive information via a (1) downloadLogFiles or (2) downloadFile action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/31/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1594 affects Micro Focus Novell Service Desk versions prior to 7.2, representing a critical access control flaw that enables remote authenticated attackers to bypass security restrictions and access sensitive attachments. This issue stems from insufficient input validation and authorization checks within the LiveTime.woa component of the service desk application, which handles file download operations through specific actions. The vulnerability specifically manifests when attackers exploit the downloadLogFiles and downloadFile actions, allowing them to retrieve arbitrary attachments from the system without proper authorization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the improper validation of user requests within the LiveTime.woa URL handler, where the application fails to adequately verify the authenticity and authorization status of users attempting to access file download operations. This flaw operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration category of CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization within the application's access control mechanisms. The vulnerability demonstrates a clear path to privilege escalation through unauthorized file access, as attackers can leverage legitimate download actions to obtain sensitive information that should be restricted to authorized personnel only.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using Novell Service Desk, as it allows attackers with valid credentials to access confidential attachments that may contain sensitive business information, system logs, or other protected data. The attack vector requires only authenticated access, making it particularly dangerous since attackers can leverage existing user accounts to perform unauthorized data exfiltration. The vulnerability can be exploited through a simple HTTP request manipulation targeting the LiveTime.woa endpoint, making it relatively easy to implement and potentially widespread in environments where the vulnerable version is deployed.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Novell Service Desk version 7.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this authorization flaw. Additionally, administrators should review and restrict access to the LiveTime.woa endpoint through network firewalls or application-level restrictions, limiting exposure to only trusted internal networks. The mitigation strategy should also include monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to download actions and implementing proper logging of file access operations to detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials usage, as attackers can leverage existing valid accounts to exploit this flaw without requiring additional privilege escalation techniques.