CVE-2016-6644 in Documentum D2
Summary
by MITRE
EMC Documentum D2 4.5 before patch 15 and 4.6 before patch 03 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary Docbase documents by leveraging knowledge of an r_object_id value.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6644 affects EMC Documentum D2 versions 4.5 before patch 15 and 4.6 before patch 03, representing a critical access control flaw that enables remote attackers to retrieve arbitrary documents from the underlying Docbase database. This vulnerability stems from insufficient authorization checks within the application's document retrieval mechanisms, specifically when processing requests that contain r_object_id values. The r_object_id parameter serves as a unique identifier for documents within the Documentum repository, and when improperly validated, allows unauthorized access to documents that should be restricted to specific users or groups. This flaw operates under the weakness category of CWE-285, which encompasses improper authorization scenarios where systems fail to properly verify that authenticated users have appropriate permissions to access requested resources. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which describes valid accounts usage for unauthorized access, as attackers can leverage legitimate document identifiers to bypass access controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the application's failure to validate user permissions when processing document retrieval requests. When an attacker submits a request containing a valid r_object_id value, the system processes the request without adequately verifying whether the requesting user possesses the necessary privileges to access that specific document. This represents a classic case of insufficient input validation combined with inadequate access control enforcement, allowing the system to return document content regardless of the user's authorization status. The flaw essentially creates a path where any authenticated user can potentially access any document within the repository by simply knowing a valid object identifier, effectively bypassing the normal document security model that should restrict access based on user roles, groups, and security policies. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege, where users are granted access to resources beyond what their permissions should allow.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-6644 is severe and multifaceted, particularly within enterprise environments where Documentum systems typically store sensitive business documents, intellectual property, confidential communications, and regulated data. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability can gain access to proprietary information, customer data, internal communications, and other confidential materials that should remain protected within the organization's document repository. The scope of potential damage extends beyond simple information disclosure, as access to certain documents may reveal system architecture details, business processes, or sensitive metadata that could facilitate further attacks. Organizations utilizing Documentum D2 for compliance-sensitive environments face heightened risk, as unauthorized document access could result in regulatory violations, legal consequences, and significant financial impact. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or network, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited from anywhere on the internet.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-6644 should focus on immediate patching of affected systems, with organizations prioritizing deployment of the vendor-supplied security patches that address the authorization validation issues. System administrators should implement comprehensive access control reviews to ensure that existing document security policies are properly enforced and that no unauthorized access paths exist within the application. Network-level controls including firewall rules and access control lists should be configured to restrict access to Documentum services to only trusted networks and authorized user populations. Additional defensive measures include implementing robust logging and monitoring for document access attempts, particularly for unusual patterns of r_object_id retrieval that may indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any other systems that may be vulnerable to similar authorization flaws, and implement regular security testing to ensure that access controls remain effective. The remediation process should also include user access reviews to ensure that permissions are appropriately scoped and that no users have excessive access privileges that could be exploited if similar vulnerabilities are discovered in other components of the Documentum environment.