CVE-2016-6220 in Control Manager
Summary
by MITRE
The default error pages in Trend Micro Control Manager SP3 6.0 reveals the stack trace, which allows local users to have unspecified impact via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/07/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6220 affects Trend Micro Control Manager SP3 version 6.0 and represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the application's error handling mechanisms. This vulnerability manifests through the default error pages that are displayed when the system encounters unexpected conditions or failures during operation. The stack trace information that is inadvertently exposed through these error pages provides attackers with detailed insights into the internal workings of the application, including code structure, component interactions, and potentially sensitive system configurations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-209, which specifically addresses the exposure of stack traces to end users. When applications fail to properly handle exceptions and errors, they often reveal internal implementation details that can be exploited by malicious actors. In this case, local users who have access to the system can leverage the exposed stack traces to understand the application's architecture and potentially identify additional attack vectors or weaknesses within the Control Manager environment. The unspecified impact mentioned in the CVE description suggests that the exposure of this information could enable various types of attacks depending on the specific context and access level of the attacker.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the revealed stack traces can provide attackers with detailed knowledge of the application's internal structure and potential security weaknesses. This information can be particularly valuable for attackers seeking to escalate privileges or exploit other vulnerabilities within the system. The fact that this affects a security management application like Trend Micro Control Manager creates additional concerns, as the exposed information could be used to target the security infrastructure itself rather than just the application components. Local users with access to the system can potentially use this information to craft more sophisticated attacks or to understand the application's behavior in greater detail, which may lead to privilege escalation or other unauthorized actions.
The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the application's security design where error handling does not properly sanitize output to prevent information leakage. This issue reflects poor security practices in error management and highlights the importance of implementing proper exception handling that does not expose internal system details to end users. Organizations using Trend Micro Control Manager should consider implementing comprehensive error handling mechanisms that mask sensitive information while still providing useful feedback to legitimate users. The vulnerability also underscores the need for regular security assessments and code reviews to identify similar issues in other components of the security infrastructure. Mitigation strategies should include updating to the latest version of the software where this issue has been addressed, implementing proper error handling procedures, and ensuring that all error messages are sanitized before display to prevent information leakage that could aid attackers in their exploitation efforts.