CVE-2018-19645 in Solutions Business Manager
Summary
by MITRE
An Authentication Bypass issue exists in Solutions Business Manager (SBM) (formerly Serena Business Manager (SBM)) versions prior to 11.5.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-19645 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw within Solutions Business Manager (SBM) systems, formerly known as Serena Business Manager. This issue affects all versions prior to the 11.5 release, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this business management platform. The vulnerability stems from inadequate authentication mechanisms that allow unauthorized users to bypass the standard login procedures and gain access to protected system resources. Given that SBM is widely used for business process management and workflow automation, this authentication bypass could potentially expose sensitive business data, operational workflows, and administrative functions to malicious actors.
The technical root cause of this authentication bypass vulnerability lies in the improper validation of user credentials and session management within the SBM application. Attackers can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access without providing valid authentication credentials, effectively circumventing the entire authentication framework. This flaw typically manifests through improper handling of authentication tokens, session identifiers, or through insecure direct object references that allow attackers to manipulate system access controls. The vulnerability may be classified under CWE-287 which specifically addresses improper authentication issues, and could potentially map to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts usage or T1566 for social engineering attacks that leverage authentication bypasses.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can enable attackers to perform administrative functions, modify business processes, and access confidential business information. Organizations using affected SBM versions face risks of data breaches, process manipulation, and potential disruption of business operations. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the fact that SBM systems often contain sensitive business data, user information, and operational workflows that could be exploited for financial gain or competitive advantage. Security teams must consider the potential for lateral movement within networks where SBM systems are deployed, as attackers might use this initial foothold to access other connected systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-19645 primarily focus on upgrading to Solutions Business Manager version 11.5 or later, which contains the necessary security patches to address the authentication bypass vulnerability. Organizations should also implement additional security controls including network segmentation, monitoring of authentication attempts, and regular security assessments of their SBM installations. The remediation process should include thorough testing of the updated version to ensure that all authentication mechanisms function correctly and that no regressions have been introduced. Security administrators should also review and audit existing access controls, implement multi-factor authentication where possible, and establish continuous monitoring procedures to detect any suspicious authentication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should consider the broader context of their security posture and ensure that other systems within their environment are similarly protected against similar authentication bypass vulnerabilities.