CVE-2017-6803 in FTP Voyager
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in the web interface in the Scheduler in SolarWinds (formerly Serv-U) FTP Voyager 16.2.0 allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of users for requests that (1) change the admin password, (2) terminate the scheduler, or (3) possibly execute arbitrary commands via crafted requests to Admin/XML/Result.xml.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/02/2024
The CVE-2017-6803 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in the web interface of SolarWinds FTP Voyager 16.2.0, specifically within the Scheduler component. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-352 category, which classifies cross-site request forgery as a fundamental web application security weakness where an attacker can induce users to perform actions they did not intend to execute. The flaw exists in the administrative web interface that handles scheduler operations, making it a particularly dangerous vulnerability for organizations relying on this software for file transfer operations.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF mechanisms within the affected web interface. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious requests that target the Admin/XML/Result.xml endpoint, which serves as the communication channel for scheduler operations. When authenticated users navigate to malicious websites or are tricked into clicking on compromised links, their browsers automatically submit requests to the vulnerable endpoint without their knowledge or consent. This allows attackers to manipulate the scheduler functionality through three distinct attack vectors that include password modification, scheduler termination, and potential command execution capabilities.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-6803 is severe and multifaceted, particularly for organizations using SolarWinds FTP Voyager in production environments. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain unauthorized administrative control over the scheduler component, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The ability to change administrator passwords creates a direct path to persistent access, while terminating the scheduler could disrupt critical file transfer operations and availability. The arbitrary command execution capability, although potentially limited in scope, represents a significant escalation path that could enable attackers to gain deeper system access or deploy additional malicious payloads. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1078 for valid accounts and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, making it a particularly dangerous vector for attackers seeking to establish persistent access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-6803 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected software version, as SolarWinds released updates to address this specific vulnerability. Organizations should implement additional defensive measures including the deployment of web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious XML requests, network segmentation to limit access to the vulnerable administrative interface, and mandatory multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive network monitoring to detect unusual patterns in scheduler-related requests and implement proper access controls to restrict administrative interface access to trusted networks only. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing robust web application security controls, particularly for critical infrastructure components that handle sensitive administrative functions.