CVE-2018-15508 in Agent Desktop Plus
Summary
by MITRE
Five9 Agent Desktop Plus 10.0.70 has Incorrect Access Control allowing a remote attackers to cause a denial of service via opening a connection on port 8083 to a device running the Five9 SoftPhone(issue 1 of 2).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-15508 affects Five9 Agent Desktop Plus version 10.0.70, specifically targeting the Five9 SoftPhone component that operates on port 8083. This issue represents a critical access control flaw that enables remote attackers to exploit the system and trigger a denial of service condition. The vulnerability stems from inadequate authentication and authorization mechanisms within the SoftPhone application, allowing unauthenticated connections to establish communication with the service running on the designated port. The flaw exists in the application's network service handling, where proper access controls are not enforced during connection establishment and session management.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege and proper input validation. When a remote attacker connects to port 8083, the system does not adequately verify the connection source or authenticate the requesting entity before processing the connection request. This misconfiguration creates an entry point where malicious actors can exploit the service without proper credentials or authorization. The vulnerability is classified as an incorrect access control issue, which aligns with CWE-284 Access Control flaws that occur when systems fail to properly enforce access restrictions. The attack vector specifically targets the network service layer where the SoftPhone application listens for incoming connections, making it susceptible to exploitation through simple network-based attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, potentially compromising the availability of critical communication infrastructure for businesses using Five9 Agent Desktop Plus. Organizations relying on this platform for customer service operations face significant risks including extended downtime, reduced productivity, and potential loss of customer service capabilities. The denial of service condition can occur without requiring advanced technical skills from the attacker, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by threat actors with minimal expertise. This vulnerability affects the core functionality of the SoftPhone service, which is integral to business communication processes, potentially leading to cascading operational failures across customer support systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper network segmentation and access control measures. Organizations should restrict access to port 8083 through firewall rules and network access control lists to limit connections to authorized systems only. The application should be configured to enforce strong authentication mechanisms and implement proper session management protocols. Network administrators should consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for unauthorized connections to the affected port. Additionally, vendors should provide timely security patches and updates to address the access control implementation flaws. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing proper access control mechanisms as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar access control weaknesses in other network services and applications within the organization's infrastructure.