CVE-2017-9370 in Workspaces Server
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure / elevation of privilege vulnerability in the BlackBerry Workspaces Server could potentially allow an attacker who has legitimate access to BlackBerry Workspaces to gain access to another user's workspace by making multiple login requests to the server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9370 represents a critical security flaw in the BlackBerry Workspaces Server that demonstrates a significant weakness in access control mechanisms. This issue falls under the category of information disclosure and privilege escalation, where a malicious actor with legitimate credentials can exploit the system's authentication handling to access unauthorized user resources. The vulnerability specifically manifests when an authenticated user makes multiple login requests to the server, creating a scenario where session management fails to properly isolate user workspaces. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages legitimate access privileges to escalate privileges beyond intended boundaries, making it difficult to detect through traditional security monitoring approaches.
The technical implementation of this flaw stems from inadequate session management and workspace isolation mechanisms within the BlackBerry Workspaces Server architecture. When multiple login requests are processed, the server fails to properly validate or enforce user boundaries, allowing one authenticated session to potentially access or manipulate another user's workspace data. This represents a failure in the principle of least privilege and demonstrates poor separation of concerns in the application's security design. The vulnerability is classified as a weakness in session management according to CWE-613, specifically CWE-613 which addresses insufficient session expiration and improper session handling. The flaw also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through legitimate access.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-9370 extends beyond simple data exposure, as it creates a pathway for attackers to potentially access sensitive corporate information, manipulate workspace contents, and compromise the integrity of user data. Organizations utilizing BlackBerry Workspaces would face significant risks including unauthorized access to confidential business documents, potential data breaches, and violations of data protection regulations. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill and only legitimate access credentials, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where user access is granted with trust. This weakness essentially undermines the fundamental security model of the platform by allowing lateral movement between user workspaces without proper authorization checks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust session management controls and strengthening access boundary enforcement within the BlackBerry Workspaces Server. Organizations must ensure that the server is updated with the latest security patches provided by BlackBerry to address the session management flaws. Additional protective measures include implementing strict session validation procedures, enforcing proper workspace isolation mechanisms, and deploying monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous login patterns or unauthorized access attempts. Network segmentation and access controls should be enhanced to limit the scope of potential exploitation, while regular security audits should verify that proper session handling is maintained across all authenticated sessions. The vulnerability highlights the importance of continuous security assessment and the need for organizations to maintain vigilance in protecting user data even within trusted environments.