CVE-2016-3650 in Endpoint Protection Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager (SEPM) 12.1 before RU6 MP5 allows remote authenticated users to discover credentials via a brute-force attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/07/2019
The Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager version 12.1 before RU6 MP5 contains a significant security vulnerability that enables remote authenticated attackers to perform credential brute-force attacks against the system. This flaw exists within the authentication mechanisms of the SEPM software, which is widely deployed for enterprise endpoint security management. The vulnerability specifically affects the credential handling and validation processes, creating an avenue for attackers who have already established authentication to exploit the system's weak resistance to repeated authentication attempts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient rate limiting and account lockout mechanisms within the SEPM authentication framework. When legitimate users authenticate to the system, the software fails to adequately track or restrict the number of consecutive authentication attempts that can be made by a single authenticated session. This allows attackers to leverage their existing credentials to systematically test various password combinations against the same user account, effectively enabling credential brute-forcing attacks. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the authenticated attack surface, meaning that an attacker who has already gained access to the system through other means can escalate their privileges by exploiting this weakness.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it can lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive enterprise data. Attackers can use this weakness to gain unauthorized access to the SEPM management console, potentially allowing them to modify security policies, deploy malicious software, or manipulate endpoint protection configurations. This creates a cascading security risk where the compromise of a single user account can result in broader network infiltration and persistent access. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on SEPM for their endpoint security infrastructure, potentially exposing critical business assets to unauthorized access and data breaches.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including enabling account lockout policies, implementing rate limiting mechanisms, and deploying additional authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication to protect against this vulnerability. The weakness aligns with common CWE categories related to authentication flaws and insufficient logging, specifically CWE-307 and CWE-308, which address inadequate authentication mechanisms and insufficient account lockout procedures. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access and privilege escalation, specifically T1110 and T1078. System administrators should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring solutions to detect unusual authentication patterns that might indicate brute-force attacks. Regular updates and patches should be applied immediately to address this vulnerability and prevent exploitation by threat actors who may be actively targeting SEPM installations.