CVE-2017-5185 in Sentinel Server
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability was discovered in NetIQ Sentinel Server 8.0 before 8.0.1 that may allow remote denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/24/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5185 affects NetIQ Sentinel Server version 8.0 prior to 8.0.1, representing a critical remote denial of service flaw that exposes organizations to significant operational risks. This vulnerability resides within the server's processing mechanisms and can be exploited by remote attackers without authentication, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where the server operates. The flaw specifically impacts the system's ability to handle incoming requests properly, potentially leading to complete service unavailability for legitimate users.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and error handling within the NetIQ Sentinel Server's request processing pipeline. When malformed or specially crafted requests are sent to the server, the system fails to properly sanitize the input data, causing unexpected behavior in the application's memory management and resource allocation. This improper handling can result in the server becoming unresponsive, crashing, or entering a state where it cannot process legitimate requests from authorized users. The vulnerability is classified as a remote denial of service because attackers can trigger the flaw from any network location without requiring local access or authentication credentials.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-5185 extends beyond simple service disruption, potentially affecting critical security monitoring operations that organizations rely upon for threat detection and incident response. In environments where NetIQ Sentinel Server serves as a central security information and event management system, this vulnerability could compromise the organization's ability to monitor security events, detect intrusions, or respond to security incidents in a timely manner. The disruption may also affect compliance requirements and audit trails, as the system may fail to properly log security events during the period of service unavailability. Organizations using this software in production environments face potential business continuity risks and increased exposure to security threats during the vulnerable period.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-5185 should prioritize immediate software updates to version 8.0.1 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the input validation and error handling flaws. Network administrators should implement firewall rules and access controls to limit exposure of the affected server to trusted networks only, reducing the attack surface available to potential attackers. Additionally, organizations should monitor their systems for signs of exploitation attempts and implement intrusion detection systems that can identify unusual traffic patterns associated with denial of service attacks. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and may be leveraged by threat actors following ATT&CK technique T1499, which encompasses denial of service attacks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other systems within the network infrastructure, ensuring comprehensive protection against similar threats.