CVE-2017-17708 in Password Server
Summary
by MITRE
Because of insufficient authorization checks it is possible for any authenticated user to change profile data of other users in Pleasant Password Server before 7.8.3.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17708 represents a critical authorization flaw within Pleasant Password Server versions prior to 7.8.3. This issue stems from inadequate access control mechanisms that allow authenticated users to manipulate the profile information of other users within the system. The vulnerability exists in the server's privilege management architecture where proper user identity verification and authorization checks are not adequately enforced during profile modification operations.
This authorization bypass vulnerability operates through a fundamental flaw in the application's permission model where the system fails to properly validate whether an authenticated user has the necessary privileges to modify another user's profile data. The technical implementation lacks proper role-based access control checks that should verify the requesting user's authorization level before allowing profile modification operations. This weakness enables malicious or unauthorized users to exploit the system by simply authenticating and then attempting to modify other users' profile information, effectively circumventing the intended security boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it creates a persistent risk for organizations relying on Pleasant Password Server for credential management and user authentication. An authenticated attacker can potentially modify user profiles to gain elevated privileges, change access rights, or manipulate user account information to facilitate further attacks. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of user data within the password server environment and can lead to privilege escalation scenarios where attackers can impersonate other users or gain unauthorized access to restricted resources.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems. The flaw demonstrates poor implementation of access control mechanisms that should enforce the principle of least privilege and proper user authentication before allowing administrative operations. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques where adversaries exploit authorization gaps to gain unauthorized access to resources or modify user accounts. Organizations using affected versions of Pleasant Password Server face potential data integrity breaches and compromised user account security.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediately upgrading to Pleasant Password Server version 7.8.3 or later, which includes the necessary authorization checks and access control improvements. System administrators should also implement additional monitoring of profile modification activities and establish audit trails to detect unauthorized changes. Network segmentation and least privilege access controls should be enforced to limit the scope of potential exploitation. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments to identify any unauthorized access that may have occurred due to this vulnerability and implement proper user account management procedures to prevent similar authorization flaws in other applications.