CVE-2017-7423 in Enterprise Developer
Summary
by MITRE
A Cross-Site Request Forgery (CWE-352) vulnerability in esfadmingui in Micro Focus Enterprise Developer and Enterprise Server 2.3, 2.3 Update 1 before Hotfix 8, and 2.3 Update 2 before Hotfix 9 allows remote unauthenticated attackers to forge requests, if this component is configured. This includes creating new privileged credentials, resulting in privilege elevation (CWE-275). Note esfadmingui is not enabled by default.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/09/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7423 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the esfadmingui component of Micro Focus Enterprise Developer and Enterprise Server products. This vulnerability falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses the lack of proper validation of requests originating from untrusted sources. The affected versions include 2.3, 2.3 Update 1 before Hotfix 8, and 2.3 Update 2 before Hotfix 9, indicating a widespread issue affecting multiple release streams of the software suite. The esfadmingui component serves as an administrative interface that, when properly configured, provides access to sensitive system functions and user management capabilities.
The technical exploitation of this CSRF vulnerability allows remote attackers to forge authenticated requests without requiring valid credentials or session tokens. This flaw specifically enables unauthorized users to perform privileged actions such as creating new administrative accounts or modifying existing user permissions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it directly enables privilege escalation through CWE-275, which deals with inadequate permissions and access controls. Attackers can leverage this weakness to gain elevated privileges within the system, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The fact that esfadmingui is not enabled by default provides some mitigation but does not eliminate the risk entirely, as administrators may inadvertently configure this component for use in production environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft or unauthorized access. When successfully exploited, attackers can establish persistent administrative access to the affected systems, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system modification, or complete service disruption. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access or prior authentication. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where the affected software is exposed to external networks or where administrators may have configured the esfadmingui component for remote management access. The implications are severe for enterprise environments that rely on these development and server platforms for critical business operations.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability. Immediate remediation involves applying the appropriate hotfixes for versions 2.3 Update 1 through Hotfix 8 and 2.3 Update 2 through Hotfix 9, as these patches address the core CSRF implementation flaws. Additionally, network segmentation should be enforced to limit access to systems running the affected components, particularly when the esfadmingui interface is enabled. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual administrative activities or unauthorized access attempts that might indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of proper CSRF tokens and validation mechanisms within the affected application components represents the most effective technical solution, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1531 for credential access. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify any potential misconfigurations that could expose the vulnerable component to unauthorized access.