CVE-2017-17675 in Remedy Mid Tier
Summary
by MITRE • 05/19/2021
BMC Remedy Mid Tier 9.1SP3 is affected by log hijacking. Remote logging can be accessed by unauthenticated users, allowing for an attacker to hijack the system logs. This data can include user names and HTTP data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/22/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17675 affects BMC Remedy Mid Tier version 9.1SP3 and represents a critical security flaw related to improper access controls over system logging mechanisms. This issue falls under the broader category of insecure logging practices that can provide attackers with unauthorized access to sensitive operational data. The vulnerability stems from the system's failure to properly authenticate users attempting to access remote logging interfaces, creating an avenue for unauthorized parties to intercept and manipulate system log information.
The technical flaw manifests as a lack of authentication requirements for remote log access functionality within the BMC Remedy Mid Tier application. This allows any remote attacker to connect to the logging interface without providing valid credentials, effectively bypassing the normal security controls that should protect system logs from unauthorized access. The vulnerability specifically impacts the logging subsystem where user names and HTTP data are stored, making it particularly dangerous for environments where sensitive user information flows through the system. The flaw creates a persistent access point that can be exploited continuously without requiring additional authentication steps or session management.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables attackers to gain insights into system operations and user activities. The hijacking of system logs provides attackers with valuable intelligence about system behavior, user patterns, and potentially sensitive HTTP communications passing through the mid tier. This information can be used for further exploitation attempts, including social engineering attacks, privilege escalation, or targeting specific user accounts. The exposure of user names within logs creates additional attack surface for credential harvesting and targeted attacks against specific individuals within the organization.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1070.002 for indicator removal and T1070.004 for file deletion. The lack of proper authentication controls creates a persistent threat vector that can be leveraged for ongoing surveillance and data collection. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through official patches provided by BMC, as the issue remains exploitable without authentication requirements. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation in logging systems and highlights the need for comprehensive security reviews of all system interfaces that may expose operational data.
Mitigation strategies should include applying the official BMC patches released for this vulnerability, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the mid tier logging interfaces, and configuring proper firewall rules to restrict remote access to logging ports. Organizations should also conduct thorough audits of their logging configurations to ensure that no other similar access control gaps exist within their system infrastructure. Regular monitoring of log access patterns and implementing intrusion detection systems can help identify potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing encrypted logging mechanisms and proper log rotation procedures to minimize the impact of potential log hijacking incidents. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical security requirements for logging systems and the necessity of maintaining proper access controls over operational data repositories.