CVE-2016-2406 in Document Security Management
Summary
by MITRE
The permission control module in Huawei Document Security Management (aka DSM) before V100R002C05SPC670 allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information from encrypted documents by leveraging incorrect control of permissions on the PrintScreen button.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/10/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-2406 resides within Huawei Document Security Management (DSM) software, specifically affecting versions prior to V100R002C05SPC670. This issue represents a critical flaw in the permission control mechanisms that govern how users interact with encrypted documents within the system. The vulnerability manifests through an improper implementation of access controls that fail to adequately restrict user actions, particularly concerning document printing functionality. The affected system operates under the assumption that legitimate users should have controlled access to sensitive information, yet the flawed permission model creates exploitable gaps that allow unauthorized information disclosure.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of user permissions when the PrintScreen button is activated within the DSM environment. When authenticated users trigger this function, the system fails to properly verify whether the user possesses adequate authorization to access the content being captured. This misconfiguration creates a pathway for privilege escalation where users can bypass standard document protection measures and potentially extract sensitive information through screen capture mechanisms. The flaw exists at the application layer and specifically impacts the document security management module's handling of print operations, making it particularly dangerous for environments where confidential data is routinely processed and protected.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it fundamentally undermines the security model that organizations rely upon for protecting sensitive documents. Attackers with legitimate access to the DSM system can exploit this weakness to capture and exfiltrate information from encrypted documents that should otherwise remain protected. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where document security is paramount, such as financial institutions, government agencies, and healthcare organizations that handle classified or personally identifiable information. The implications are severe as it allows for potential data breaches that could compromise entire document protection strategies and violate regulatory compliance requirements.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Huawei DSM version V100R002C05SPC670 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the permission control flaw. Additionally, administrators should conduct comprehensive audits of existing user permissions and implement stricter access controls for document handling operations. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control in software systems, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1074.001 for data staging and T1566.001 for spearphishing attachments, as attackers could potentially use this weakness to extract sensitive information from protected documents. Network segmentation and monitoring of print operations should be implemented to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments should verify that all document security controls are properly enforced across the system.