CVE-2017-5863 in OX App Suite
Summary
by MITRE
Open-Xchange GmbH OX App Suite 7.8.3 and earlier is affected by: Incorrect Access Control.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5863 affects Open-Xchange GmbH OX App Suite version 7.8.3 and earlier, representing a critical access control flaw that undermines the security posture of email and collaboration platforms. This issue stems from improper authorization mechanisms that allow unauthorized users to access restricted resources and functionality within the application. The vulnerability specifically impacts the application's ability to enforce proper user authentication and privilege validation, creating potential entry points for malicious actors to exploit.
The technical flaw manifests through inadequate validation of user permissions and session management within the OX App Suite framework. When users attempt to access certain application components or perform administrative functions, the system fails to properly verify their authorization status. This weakness can be exploited by attackers who have gained initial access through other means or by users who manipulate application requests to bypass normal access controls. The vulnerability essentially allows privilege escalation where lower-privileged users might gain access to higher-level administrative functions or sensitive data that should be restricted to authorized personnel only.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it creates opportunities for comprehensive system compromise and data manipulation. Attackers could potentially access confidential communications, modify user accounts, escalate privileges to administrative levels, or even disrupt service availability. The affected environment includes email systems, calendar management, contact databases, and other collaborative tools that rely on proper access control mechanisms. Organizations using OX App Suite in enterprise environments face significant risk of insider threats or external attacks exploiting this weakness, particularly in scenarios where the application handles sensitive business or personal information.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of the affected software versions to address the access control implementation flaws. Organizations must also implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts, while conducting thorough access control reviews to identify potential exploitation vectors. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which describes improper access control issues in software systems, and corresponds to attack patterns within the ATT&CK framework related to privilege escalation and credential access. Additional defensive measures include implementing multi-factor authentication, regular security audits of access control policies, and establishing robust incident response procedures to quickly identify and contain potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider conducting penetration testing to validate the effectiveness of their access control implementations and ensure proper isolation of critical application components.