CVE-2018-19641 in Solutions Business Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Unauthenticated remote code execution issue in Micro Focus Solutions Business Manager (SBM) (formerly Serena Business Manager (SBM)) versions prior to 11.5.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-19641 represents a critical unauthenticated remote code execution flaw in Micro Focus Solutions Business Manager software, formerly known as Serena Business Manager. This issue affects versions prior to 11.5 and exposes organizations to significant security risks due to the lack of authentication requirements for exploiting the vulnerability. The flaw resides within the application's handling of certain input parameters that are processed without proper validation or authentication checks, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code on affected systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the SBM application framework. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting specially formatted requests that bypass authentication requirements and directly invoke code execution capabilities within the application environment. The flaw operates at the application layer where user-supplied data is not adequately sanitized before being processed, allowing for injection attacks that can escalate to full system compromise. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-94 categories, representing injection flaws that enable arbitrary code execution through improperly validated inputs.
From an operational perspective, the impact of CVE-2018-19641 extends beyond simple data compromise to include complete system takeover capabilities. An unauthenticated attacker can exploit this vulnerability to gain remote access to affected systems, potentially leading to data theft, system disruption, or lateral movement within network environments. The lack of authentication requirements makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it eliminates the need for prior access credentials, enabling attackers to target systems with minimal reconnaissance. Organizations running affected versions of SBM face immediate risk of unauthorized access and potential business disruption.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on upgrading to Micro Focus Solutions Business Manager version 11.5 or later, which includes patches addressing the authentication bypass and input validation issues. System administrators should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of SBM applications to untrusted networks. Additional defensive measures include monitoring network traffic for suspicious requests that may indicate exploitation attempts, implementing web application firewalls to filter malicious input, and conducting regular security assessments of the application environment. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would fall within the T1059 category for command and scripting interpreter, as exploitation involves executing code remotely without authentication. Organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure readiness for potential exploitation attempts and maintain updated threat intelligence feeds to identify emerging attack patterns targeting this specific vulnerability.