CVE-2018-10354 in Email Encryption Gateway
Summary
by MITRE
A command injection remote command execution vulnerability in Trend Micro Email Encryption Gateway 5.5 could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable installations due to a flaw in the LauncherServer. Authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-10354 represents a critical command injection flaw within Trend Micro Email Encryption Gateway version 5.5 that exposes systems to remote code execution attacks. This vulnerability specifically resides within the LauncherServer component of the email encryption solution, which serves as a critical subsystem responsible for managing and executing various security operations. The flaw allows malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary commands on affected systems, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive email communications. The vulnerability requires authentication to exploit, meaning that an attacker must first obtain valid credentials before attempting to leverage this weakness, though this does not mitigate the severity of the potential impact.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-94, which classify it as a command injection vulnerability that can lead to arbitrary code execution. The flaw likely stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the LauncherServer component, where user-supplied data is not properly filtered or escaped before being processed in system commands. This allows an authenticated attacker to manipulate command execution flows by injecting malicious payloads that bypass normal security controls. The vulnerability's presence in the email encryption gateway's core server component means that successful exploitation could provide attackers with access to the underlying email infrastructure, potentially enabling them to intercept, modify, or exfiltrate encrypted email communications. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that email encryption gateways typically handle highly sensitive corporate and personal data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it could enable sophisticated attack chains involving lateral movement and privilege escalation within network environments. Once an attacker gains a foothold through this vulnerability, they could potentially use the compromised gateway as a pivot point to access other systems within the organization's network infrastructure. The email encryption gateway's role in handling encrypted communications makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous, as it could allow attackers to decrypt and access sensitive email content that was previously protected by the encryption system. Additionally, the compromised system could be used to launch further attacks against internal network resources, potentially leading to data breaches or system-wide compromise.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through official Trend Micro security patches and updates to address the command injection flaw in the LauncherServer component. Security teams should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of credential compromise, while also strengthening authentication mechanisms and monitoring for suspicious activities. The vulnerability's requirement for authentication means that organizations should focus on credential security measures including multi-factor authentication, regular password rotation, and strict access control policies. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual command execution patterns or suspicious network traffic originating from the email encryption gateway, as these could indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their email infrastructure to identify other potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited in conjunction with this flaw, ensuring that their defensive measures align with industry best practices and threat intelligence recommendations.