CVE-2017-5496 in Sawmill Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE
Sawmill Enterprise 8.7.9 allows remote attackers to gain login access by leveraging knowledge of a password hash.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5496 affects Sawmill Enterprise version 8.7.9, representing a critical authentication flaw that enables remote attackers to bypass normal login procedures through the exploitation of password hash knowledge. This weakness fundamentally undermines the system's access control mechanisms and creates a significant security risk for organizations relying on the software for log management and analysis. The vulnerability stems from an improper implementation of authentication logic that allows attackers to leverage existing password hash information to establish unauthorized access to the system.
This technical flaw operates by exploiting a weakness in the password verification process where the system does not adequately validate the authenticity of hash-based authentication attempts. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform credential stuffing or password hash reuse attacks against the Sawmill Enterprise application, effectively allowing them to bypass standard authentication mechanisms that should normally require proper credentials or authentication tokens. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it can be executed remotely without requiring physical access to the system or prior knowledge of valid user credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with full administrative capabilities within the Sawmill Enterprise environment. This enables potential data exfiltration, log manipulation, and system compromise that can severely impact organizational security posture. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of log data that the application is designed to protect, potentially allowing attackers to hide malicious activities or alter security-relevant information. Organizations using this software may experience unauthorized access to sensitive operational data, system configuration changes, and potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure.
Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the latest patched version of Sawmill Enterprise, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the application, and conducting comprehensive security audits of authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues, and represents a significant risk under the ATT&CK framework's credential access tactics. Organizations should also consider implementing additional authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication and monitoring for unusual authentication patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts. The incident highlights the critical importance of proper password hash handling and authentication validation in enterprise security systems, emphasizing the need for robust security practices in software development and deployment.