CVE-2017-15531 in Reporter
Summary
by MITRE
Symantec Reporter 9.5 prior to 9.5.4.1 and 10.x prior to 10.2 does not restrict excessive authentication attempts for management interface users. A remote attacker can use brute force search to guess a user password and gain access to Reporter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/01/2021
Symantec Reporter versions 9.5 prior to 9.5.4.1 and 10.x prior to 10.2 contain a critical authentication vulnerability that exposes the management interface to brute force attacks. This flaw represents a failure in implementing proper account lockout mechanisms and rate limiting controls, allowing unauthorized remote access through systematic password guessing attempts. The vulnerability directly impacts the security posture of organizations relying on Symantec Reporter for security information and event management operations.
The technical flaw manifests as the absence of authentication attempt restrictions within the management interface authentication process. Attackers can repeatedly submit login attempts without triggering account lockout mechanisms or temporary access restrictions, enabling them to systematically test password combinations through brute force methodologies. This weakness falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-307, which specifically addresses improper restriction of repeated authentication attempts. The vulnerability operates at the authentication layer of the application, where the system fails to implement adequate protections against automated attack vectors that target credential guessing.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with potential entry points to sensitive security reporting systems. Once compromised, attackers can gain administrative privileges to view, modify, or delete critical security data, potentially leading to data breaches, unauthorized system modifications, or complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects organizations using Symantec Reporter for security monitoring, making it particularly dangerous as attackers can access detailed security event information and potentially manipulate security reporting data. This aligns with attack techniques described in the attack pattern taxonomy under MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically targeting credential access phases where adversaries attempt to obtain valid credentials through brute force methods.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches to versions 9.5.4.1 and 10.2 or higher, implementing network-level restrictions to limit access to the management interface, and configuring account lockout policies. Additional protective measures include deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for unusual authentication patterns, implementing multi-factor authentication where possible, and restricting management interface access to trusted networks only. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper authentication controls and adhering to security best practices as outlined in industry standards such as NIST SP 800-63B for authentication management and the CWE database for common security weaknesses. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar authentication weaknesses across the organization's security infrastructure.