CVE-2017-9393 in Identity Manager
Summary
by MITRE
CA Identity Manager r12.6 to r12.6 SP8, 14.0, and 14.1 allows remote attackers to potentially identify passwords of locked accounts through an exhaustive search.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9393 affects CA Identity Manager versions ranging from r12.6 through r12.6 SP8 and including versions 14.0 and 14.1. This security flaw represents a significant concern for organizations relying on identity management systems as it enables remote attackers to potentially discover passwords associated with locked accounts through systematic enumeration techniques. The issue stems from insufficient validation mechanisms within the authentication process that fail to properly handle account lockout scenarios, creating a window of opportunity for attackers to exploit timing variations and response differences between locked and active accounts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's response handling during authentication attempts against locked accounts. When an attacker submits authentication requests to locked accounts, the system's response timing and error messages differ from those generated for active accounts, creating observable patterns that can be exploited through automated tools. This timing-based side-channel information leakage allows malicious actors to conduct exhaustive searches and determine whether specific accounts are locked, effectively bypassing account lockout protections. The flaw operates at the authentication layer where the system should maintain consistent response behavior regardless of account status to prevent information disclosure.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability undermines the fundamental security principle of account lockout mechanisms which are designed to protect against brute force attacks and unauthorized access attempts. Attackers can leverage this weakness to identify which accounts are locked, potentially enabling them to focus their efforts on unlocked accounts or to map out account lockout patterns within the system. The vulnerability essentially defeats the purpose of account lockout functionality and can be particularly damaging in environments where account lockout policies are used as part of the overall security posture. Organizations may experience increased risk of credential compromise and potential lateral movement within their networks.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure, and represents a classic example of information leakage through timing variations in system responses. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this weakness maps to techniques involving credential access and reconnaissance activities, specifically targeting the enumeration of valid accounts and potentially sensitive authentication information. The vulnerability also intersects with privilege escalation and credential dumping techniques that attackers might employ once they have identified locked accounts. Organizations should consider implementing additional monitoring for unusual authentication patterns and response timing variations that could indicate exploitation attempts. Remediation efforts should focus on ensuring consistent response handling for authentication attempts regardless of account status, implementing proper account lockout mechanisms, and applying vendor-provided security patches to address the specific implementation flaw in the CA Identity Manager software.
The security implications extend beyond immediate credential exposure to include potential system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive organizational resources. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and consistent error handling in authentication systems, particularly in enterprise identity management platforms where security controls must maintain integrity under various attack scenarios. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their identity management infrastructure and ensure that all authentication components provide consistent and secure responses to prevent similar timing-based information disclosure vulnerabilities from being exploited.