CVE-2017-20037 in Access Controller
Summary
by MITRE • 06/11/2022
A vulnerability has been found in SICUNET Access Controller 0.32-05z and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality. The manipulation of the argument c leads to privilege escalation. The attack can be launched remotely.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-20037 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the SICUNET Access Controller version 0.32-05z software system. This vulnerability resides in an unknown functionality area of the access control software, making it particularly dangerous as security teams cannot easily identify or isolate the specific component that allows for this exploitation. The flaw specifically manifests when an attacker manipulates the argument c, which appears to be a parameter within the software's authentication or authorization mechanism. This manipulation enables an attacker to elevate their privileges beyond what should be permitted, potentially gaining administrative or elevated access rights within the controlled environment.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it firmly within the realm of privilege escalation attacks, which are categorized under CWE-264 in the Common Weakness Enumeration system. The remote exploitation capability of this flaw significantly increases its threat level, as attackers do not need physical access to the system or network to leverage the vulnerability. This remote attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which describes the use of privilege escalation techniques to gain higher-level access to systems. The fact that the vulnerability operates through argument manipulation suggests a potential input validation or access control bypass issue where the software fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied parameters before processing them.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows unauthorized users to gain elevated privileges remotely, potentially leading to complete system compromise. Organizations relying on SICUNET Access Controller for network security may face unauthorized access to restricted resources, data breaches, and potential lateral movement within their networks. The remote exploit capability means that attackers can target vulnerable systems from anywhere on the internet without requiring local network access, making this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors. This type of vulnerability essentially undermines the core security model of the access control system, as it allows attackers to bypass the intended access controls and gain unauthorized administrative capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-20037 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected SICUNET Access Controller software to the latest available version that addresses this privilege escalation vulnerability. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to systems running this software and employ strict access control measures that minimize the attack surface. Additionally, monitoring for unusual privilege escalation attempts and implementing robust logging mechanisms can help detect exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on suspicious parameter manipulation patterns. The vulnerability's classification as critical underscores the need for immediate remediation, as the potential for system compromise and data theft is substantial. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments to identify any other potentially vulnerable components within their access control infrastructure that might be susceptible to similar exploitation techniques.