CVE-2018-3605 in Control Manager
Summary
by MITRE
TopXXX, ViolationXXX, and IncidentXXX method SQL injection remote code execution (RCE) vulnerabilities in Trend Micro Control Manager 6.0 could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable installations.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/03/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3605 represents a critical security flaw affecting Trend Micro Control Manager version 6.0, specifically within its TopXXX ViolationXxx and IncidentXxx method implementations. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper SQL query construction within the web application's backend processing logic. The flaw exists in the database interaction components that handle user-supplied parameters, particularly those related to reporting and incident management functionalities. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious SQL payloads that bypass normal authentication mechanisms and directly manipulate the underlying database structure. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws where untrusted data is incorporated into SQL commands without proper sanitization or parameterization. This allows attackers to execute arbitrary database commands and potentially gain deeper access to the system's underlying infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation to encompass full remote code execution capabilities on affected systems. When exploited, the vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the target server with the privileges of the database user account, which typically corresponds to the web application's service account. This privilege escalation capability allows for system compromise, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within the network. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it affects the core management functionality of Trend Micro Control Manager, which serves as a central point for security policy enforcement and threat monitoring. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access or local network presence to carry out attacks, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where such management systems are often exposed to external networks.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically under the T1071.004 technique for application layer protocol usage and T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter execution. The exploitation process typically involves crafting malicious HTTP requests that contain SQL injection payloads targeting the vulnerable methods. These payloads are designed to manipulate the database queries in ways that either extract sensitive information or directly execute system commands through database functions like xp_cmdshell in sql server environments. The vulnerability affects organizations using Trend Micro Control Manager 6.0 and potentially other versions that share similar code patterns in their reporting modules. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the management interface, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious SQL injection attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any other potentially vulnerable components within their security infrastructure that may share similar implementation patterns and could be susceptible to similar attacks.