CVE-2016-5807 in LightHouse SMS
Summary
by MITRE
Tollgrade LightHouse SMS before 5.1 patch 3 allows remote authenticated users to bypass an intended administrative-authentication requirement, and read or change parameter values, via a direct request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/27/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5807 affects Tollgrade LightHouse SMS versions prior to 5.1 patch 3, representing a critical authorization bypass flaw that undermines the security posture of the system. This vulnerability specifically targets the administrative authentication mechanisms that are designed to protect sensitive configuration parameters and system settings. The flaw allows authenticated users to escalate their privileges and access administrative functions without proper authorization, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this telecommunications management platform.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access control validation within the application's request processing logic. When legitimate authenticated users make direct API requests or web service calls, the system fails to properly verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary administrative privileges for the specific operations being attempted. This weakness enables attackers who have obtained valid user credentials to exploit the application's internal routing mechanisms and directly access administrative endpoints that should be restricted to authorized administrators only. The vulnerability manifests through improper input validation and insufficient privilege checking during request processing, allowing malicious users to manipulate request parameters and bypass the intended authentication layers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to modify critical system parameters that control the behavior and configuration of the telecommunications infrastructure. An attacker with administrative privileges could alter system settings, modify user access controls, change network configurations, and potentially disrupt service availability. The ability to read parameter values also exposes sensitive configuration data that could be used for further attacks or to understand the system architecture. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on Tollgrade LightHouse SMS for managing communication services, as it could lead to service disruption, data compromise, or unauthorized access to communication channels that are critical for business operations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patch version 5.1 patch 3, which addresses the authorization bypass vulnerability through enhanced access control validation. System administrators should also review and tighten access controls, implement network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces, and establish robust monitoring of administrative activities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which describes improper authorization in software systems, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and can be leveraged for lateral movement within the network. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify similar authorization flaws in other applications and implement proper input validation and access control mechanisms to prevent future incidents of this nature.