CVE-2016-5662 in Kiteworks
Summary
by MITRE
Accellion Kiteworks appliances before kw2016.03.00 use setuid-root permissions for /opt/bin/cli, which allows local users to gain privileges via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/01/2024
The Accellion Kiteworks appliance vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5662 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the software's security architecture. This vulnerability affects appliances running versions prior to kw2016.03.00 and stems from the improper configuration of the /opt/bin/cli binary with setuid-root permissions. The flaw creates an exploitable path for local attackers to elevate their privileges from standard user level to root access, fundamentally compromising the system's integrity and security posture. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with complete control over the appliance's underlying operating system and all associated services.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper file permissions and setuid/setgid bits in software systems. The flaw manifests through the exploitation of the setuid-root binary that lacks proper input validation and access control mechanisms. Attackers can leverage this configuration to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that the vulnerability may be exploitable through multiple attack paths including command injection, buffer overflows, or other input manipulation techniques that the cli binary fails to properly sanitize. This ambiguity in the attack vectors makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through various methods depending on the specific implementation details of the appliance's configuration.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on Accellion Kiteworks appliances for secure file transfer and collaboration services. The local privilege escalation capability allows attackers who have gained initial access through other means to escalate their privileges without requiring additional authentication credentials. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly attractive to attackers who may have already compromised a user account or gained access through network-based attacks. The impact includes potential data exfiltration, system modification, persistence mechanisms installation, and complete compromise of the appliance's security controls. Organizations may experience service disruption, regulatory compliance violations, and potential exposure of sensitive data processed through the compromised appliance.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through the application of the vendor-provided patch or upgrade to version kw2016.03.00 or later. System administrators must ensure that the setuid permissions are properly removed from the /opt/bin/cli binary and that appropriate access controls are implemented. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and proper privilege management within software installations. Organizations should implement monitoring for unauthorized changes to critical system binaries and establish robust patch management processes. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and can be categorized under T1068, which addresses local privilege escalation through the exploitation of system vulnerabilities. Additionally, the incident response plan should include forensic analysis of the appliance to determine if the vulnerability was exploited and to identify any persistent backdoors or modifications that may have been installed during compromise.