CVE-2017-8791 in FTA
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered on Accellion FTA devices before FTA_9_12_180. There is a home/seos/courier/login.html auth_params CRLF attack vector.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/24/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8791 affects Accellion FTA (Fast Transfer Appliance) devices running versions prior to FTA_9_12_180. This represents a critical security flaw that resides within the authentication handling mechanism of the device's web interface. The issue manifests through a specific attack vector involving the home/seos/courier/login.html endpoint where authentication parameters are processed, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to exploit Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) and CRLF injection techniques.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the authentication parameter processing pipeline. When user-provided authentication parameters are passed through the login.html endpoint without proper validation, attackers can inject carriage return and line feed characters that manipulate the HTTP response headers. This CRLF injection capability allows adversaries to perform session hijacking attacks, bypass authentication mechanisms, and potentially redirect users to malicious websites. The vulnerability specifically targets the auth_params parameter handling within the courier component of the FTA system, which is responsible for managing secure file transfer operations and user authentication.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple authentication bypasses, as it can enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive file transfer operations and potentially compromise the entire secure communication infrastructure. Organizations relying on Accellion FTA devices for secure data exchange face significant risk of data breaches, unauthorized file transfers, and potential lateral movement within their networks. The vulnerability affects the core security posture of the device by undermining the authentication controls that are essential for protecting sensitive information transfers. Attackers exploiting this weakness could access confidential data, modify file transfer configurations, and potentially establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-113, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of CRLF characters in HTTP headers, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers phishing with social engineering. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that Accellion FTA devices are commonly used in enterprise environments for secure file transfers between organizations. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patch for FTA_9_12_180, reviewing network access controls to limit exposure of the affected web interface, and monitoring for suspicious authentication attempts. Additionally, network segmentation should be implemented to restrict access to the FTA device to only authorized personnel and systems, while regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other network components. The remediation process should also include comprehensive log analysis to detect any exploitation attempts that may have occurred prior to patch deployment, ensuring that organizations can assess the full scope of potential compromise.