CVE-2017-12567 in KACE Asset Management Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection exists in Quest KACE Asset Management Appliance 6.4.120822 through 7.2, Systems Management Appliance 6.4.120822 through 7.2.101, and K1000 as a Service 7.0 through 7.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12567 represents a critical sql injection flaw affecting multiple Quest KACE management appliances including the Asset Management Appliance, Systems Management Appliance, and K1000 as a Service platform. This vulnerability impacts versions ranging from 6.4.120822 through 7.2 for the Asset Management Appliance and Systems Management Appliance, while the K1000 as a Service is affected from version 7.0 through 7.2. The flaw resides in the authentication and authorization mechanisms of these management platforms, specifically within the way user inputs are processed and validated before being incorporated into sql queries. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to exploit the sql injection weakness by crafting malicious input parameters that bypass normal authentication procedures and gain unauthorized access to the underlying database systems.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of input fields within the web interface or api endpoints of the affected appliances. Attackers can inject malicious sql code through various vectors including login forms, parameterized queries, or direct api calls that do not properly sanitize user-supplied data. This flaw directly maps to common weakness enumeration CWE-89 which defines sql injection as the failure to properly encode or escape input data before incorporating it into sql commands. The vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary sql commands against the backend database, potentially allowing for full database compromise, data exfiltration, modification of system configurations, or even privilege escalation within the management appliance. The attack surface is particularly concerning as these appliances typically contain sensitive organizational data including asset inventories, system configurations, and potentially user credentials stored within their databases.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-12567 extends beyond simple unauthorized access to represent a comprehensive security breach that can compromise entire organizational infrastructure managed through these appliances. Successful exploitation could lead to complete database compromise, allowing attackers to view, modify, or delete critical asset management data including hardware inventories, software licenses, system configurations, and potentially user account information. The vulnerability also provides a potential foothold for further attacks within the network as these management appliances often serve as central points for system administration and monitoring. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the attack tactics and techniques matrix under initial access and privilege escalation categories, specifically targeting the credential access and persistence domains. Organizations using affected versions of Quest KACE appliances face significant risk of data breaches, compliance violations, and operational disruption that could affect their entire asset management and systems administration capabilities.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including patching to the latest available versions of the affected appliances, as Quest has released updates addressing this vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of these appliances to untrusted networks, while monitoring for suspicious authentication attempts and sql query patterns should be enabled. Input validation and output encoding mechanisms should be strengthened throughout the application layer to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other components. The implementation of web application firewalls and database activity monitoring tools can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify the effectiveness of implemented controls and identify any additional vulnerabilities within the management infrastructure. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing multi-factor authentication and privileged access management solutions to reduce the impact of potential credential compromise. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper input validation and the potential consequences of sql injection flaws in enterprise management systems.