CVE-2016-3130 in BlackBerry
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability in the Core and Management Console in BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) 12 through 12.5.2 allows remote attackers to obtain local or domain credentials of an administrator or user account by sniffing traffic between the two elements during a login attempt.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/13/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3130 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within BlackBerry Enterprise Server versions 12 through 12.5.2. This weakness specifically affects the communication between the Core and Management Console components of the enterprise messaging platform, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on BlackBerry's enterprise solutions. The vulnerability stems from insufficient encryption or authentication mechanisms during the login process, allowing malicious actors to intercept and analyze network traffic to extract sensitive credential information.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the insecure transmission of authentication data between the Core server and Management Console during user login operations. When administrators or users attempt to authenticate, the system fails to properly encrypt or obfuscate the credential information flowing through the network channels. This weakness creates an attack surface where network traffic can be captured and analyzed by unauthorized parties, particularly during the authentication handshake process. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects both administrator and user credentials, potentially providing attackers with elevated privileges or broad access to enterprise resources.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability exposes organizations to significant risk of unauthorized access and data breaches. Attackers who successfully exploit this weakness can gain access to administrative accounts, which would provide them with complete control over the BlackBerry Enterprise Server infrastructure. The ability to obtain local or domain credentials through network sniffing attacks means that organizations are vulnerable to passive reconnaissance followed by active exploitation. This type of attack is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal technical expertise and can be executed remotely, making it an attractive target for threat actors seeking to compromise enterprise email and communication systems.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-310, which addresses cryptographic weaknesses in authentication mechanisms, and represents a clear violation of secure communication principles. Organizations implementing BlackBerry Enterprise Server solutions face potential exposure to attacks that map to multiple ATT&CK techniques including credential access through network sniffing and credential dumping. The attack vector specifically corresponds to T1046 Network Service Scanning and T1567 Credential Access, as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to capture authentication tokens and credentials from network traffic. The lack of proper encryption during authentication processes directly violates security best practices and industry standards such as those outlined in NIST SP 800-57 for cryptographic key management and authentication protocols.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-3130 should focus on implementing proper network encryption and authentication mechanisms. Organizations must ensure that all communication between Core and Management Console components utilizes strong encryption protocols such as TLS 1.2 or higher. Network administrators should implement traffic monitoring and intrusion detection systems to identify suspicious network activity that could indicate credential interception attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation to isolate critical components and reduce the attack surface. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to BlackBerry Enterprise Server versions that have addressed this vulnerability through proper encryption implementation and secure authentication protocols. Regular security assessments and network traffic analysis should be conducted to ensure that no unauthorized access attempts are successful. Organizations should also implement multi-factor authentication mechanisms to add additional layers of security beyond traditional username and password combinations, thereby reducing the impact of credential compromise even if this specific vulnerability is exploited.