CVE-2017-11557 in Applications Manager
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in ZOHO ManageEngine Applications Manager 12.3. It is possible for an unauthenticated user to view the list of domain names and usernames used in a company's network environment via a userconfiguration.do?method=editUser request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-11557 resides within ZOHO ManageEngine Applications Manager version 12.3, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that undermines the security posture of enterprise network monitoring systems. This vulnerability specifically affects the user configuration management component of the application, where improper access controls have been implemented that allow unauthorized individuals to gain visibility into sensitive network infrastructure details without requiring authentication credentials. The flaw manifests through a direct web request path that exposes domain names and usernames associated with organizational network environments, effectively creating a reconnaissance vector for potential attackers seeking to understand the target's network topology and user base.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and authentication mechanisms within the userconfiguration.do servlet endpoint. When an attacker submits a request with the method parameter set to editUser, the application fails to properly verify whether the requester possesses legitimate authorization to access or modify user configurations. This represents a classic authorization bypass vulnerability that falls under the CWE-285 category of insufficient authorization checks. The flaw demonstrates poor security design principles where the application assumes that legitimate requests should be processed without proper authentication verification, creating an entry point for information gathering activities that align with the initial access phase of the attack lifecycle.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with critical intelligence that can be leveraged for subsequent attack phases. The exposure of domain names and usernames creates a valuable resource for credential stuffing attacks, where attackers can use the collected information to attempt unauthorized access to other systems within the network. This vulnerability directly supports techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the Initial Access and Credential Access domains, where adversaries seek to gather information about target networks and user accounts to facilitate further compromise. The unauthenticated nature of the vulnerability means that any individual with access to the network can exploit this flaw, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network monitoring tools are accessible to external parties or where internal security controls are insufficient.
Organizations utilizing ZOHO ManageEngine Applications Manager should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability, including the deployment of network segmentation controls that restrict access to the affected application endpoints and the implementation of proper authentication mechanisms for all administrative functions. The application should be updated to a patched version that enforces proper access controls and implements input validation to prevent unauthorized access to user configuration data. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect and alert on suspicious requests to the userconfiguration.do endpoint, as this vulnerability represents a clear indicator of potential reconnaissance activity. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive audits of all application endpoints to identify similar authorization flaws that may exist within the broader application ecosystem, as this vulnerability demonstrates a systemic weakness in the security architecture that requires broader remediation efforts to prevent similar issues from occurring in other components of the system.