CVE-2018-19634 in Service Desk Manager
Summary
by MITRE
CA Service Desk Manager 14.1 and 17 contain a vulnerability that can allow a malicious actor to access survey information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-19634 affects CA Service Desk Manager versions 14.1 and 17, representing a significant security weakness that compromises the confidentiality of survey data within the service management platform. This issue stems from inadequate access controls and authentication mechanisms that fail to properly validate user permissions when accessing survey information. The flaw exists in the application's authorization framework, allowing unauthorized individuals to bypass normal access restrictions and retrieve sensitive survey data that should be restricted to authorized personnel only. Such a vulnerability directly impacts the integrity of service desk operations where survey responses often contain confidential customer feedback, service quality metrics, and operational insights that could be exploited for competitive advantage or malicious purposes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a failure in the application's privilege escalation mechanisms within the survey module. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specific requests that circumvent the normal authentication flow, potentially accessing survey responses without proper authorization. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-284 which describes improper access control issues, and may also relate to CWE-306 which covers missing authentication mechanisms. The attack vector likely involves manipulating API calls or web interface requests to survey data, exploiting insufficient input validation and session management controls that should normally enforce user role-based access restrictions.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-19634 extends beyond simple data exposure, as survey information often contains sensitive customer feedback, service ratings, and business-critical operational metrics that could be leveraged for competitive intelligence gathering or targeted attacks. Organizations utilizing CA Service Desk Manager may face regulatory compliance violations, particularly under data protection frameworks such as gdpr or hipaa where unauthorized access to personal information could result in significant penalties. The vulnerability also undermines the trust relationships between service providers and their customers, as it exposes the potential for confidential feedback to be accessed by unauthorized parties. This compromise affects not only the immediate survey data but also the overall security posture of the service desk environment, potentially enabling further attacks through the acquisition of intelligence about service vulnerabilities or customer satisfaction patterns.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of proper access controls and authentication enforcement within the survey module, ensuring that all requests are properly validated against user roles and permissions. Organizations should apply the vendor-provided security patches or updates as soon as they become available, while also implementing network segmentation to limit access to the service desk manager application. Additional protective measures include monitoring access logs for suspicious activities, implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative access, and conducting regular security assessments of the service desk environment. The remediation process should align with ATT&CK framework techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access, ensuring that defensive measures address both the immediate vulnerability and broader security gaps that could be exploited in similar contexts. Organizations should also consider implementing data loss prevention controls specifically targeting survey information and establishing clear audit trails for all access to sensitive service desk data.