CVE-2017-2382 in macOS Server
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. macOS Server before 5.3 is affected. The issue involves the "Wiki Server" component. It allows remote attackers to enumerate user accounts via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2382 affects Apple macOS Server versions prior to 5.3, specifically targeting the Wiki Server component. This security flaw represents a significant information disclosure vulnerability that enables remote attackers to enumerate user accounts within the affected system. The issue stems from insufficient access controls and authentication mechanisms within the Wiki Server implementation, creating an avenue for unauthorized discovery of valid user accounts without proper authorization. The vulnerability exists due to the server's failure to properly validate or restrict access to user enumeration functions, allowing attackers to probe the system and identify legitimate accounts through unspecified attack vectors.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses improper exposure of sensitive information, and CWE-305, which deals with authentication bypass mechanisms. The Wiki Server component appears to lack proper input validation and access control checks when processing user enumeration requests, enabling attackers to systematically discover valid usernames through crafted requests. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1087.001, which involves account discovery through enumeration of local accounts. The flaw allows adversaries to gather intelligence about the system's user base, which can then be leveraged for further attacks including credential stuffing, targeted phishing campaigns, or more sophisticated authentication bypass attempts.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2382 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as user account enumeration provides attackers with valuable intelligence for subsequent exploitation phases. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can build comprehensive user dictionaries that significantly increase the success rate of password cracking attempts and social engineering operations. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on macOS Server for wiki services, potentially compromising the security posture of entire networks where these services are deployed. Organizations using affected versions face increased risk of targeted attacks, as the discovered user accounts can be used to conduct credential brute force attacks or to tailor phishing campaigns specifically to identified individuals.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate deployment of Apple's security patches, specifically updating macOS Server to version 5.3 or later where the Wiki Server component has been fixed. System administrators should also implement additional network-level controls including firewall rules that restrict access to Wiki Server functionality to trusted networks only. The remediation process should include comprehensive security auditing to identify all instances of affected macOS Server installations across the organization. Additionally, organizations should review their access control policies for Wiki Server components and ensure that only authorized personnel have access to user management functions. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns of user enumeration requests, which may indicate attempted exploitation of this vulnerability. The fix addresses the underlying authentication and authorization mechanisms within the Wiki Server component, ensuring that user enumeration requests are properly validated and restricted to authorized users only, thereby preventing unauthorized account discovery while maintaining legitimate service functionality.