CVE-2018-5403 in SecureSphere Gateway
Summary
by MITRE
Imperva SecureSphere gateway (GW) running v13, for both pre-First Time Login or post-First Time Login (FTL), if the attacker knows the basic authentication passwords, the GW may be vulnerable to RCE through specially crafted requests, from the web access management interface.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/28/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-5403 affects Imperva SecureSphere gateway version 13, representing a critical remote code execution flaw that can be exploited through the web access management interface. This vulnerability exists in both pre-first time login and post-first time login scenarios, significantly expanding the attack surface. The flaw specifically targets the gateway's handling of basic authentication credentials, where an attacker with valid authentication information can craft malicious requests to achieve remote code execution on the affected system. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data within the web interface processing pipeline, creating a direct pathway for arbitrary code execution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting specially formatted requests that bypass normal authentication checks while leveraging the existing valid credentials to gain elevated privileges. Attackers can manipulate the web access management interface to inject malicious payloads that execute within the context of the SecureSphere gateway process. This flaw aligns with CWE-74, which describes improper neutralization of special elements in output used by a downstream component, and CWE-94, which covers the execution of arbitrary code or commands. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with command injection attacks where user-controlled data is directly incorporated into system commands without proper validation or sanitization.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-5403 is severe and multifaceted, potentially allowing attackers to fully compromise the SecureSphere gateway and subsequently access the protected network infrastructure. Once exploited, the attacker gains the ability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the gateway process, which typically operates with elevated system permissions. This compromise can lead to complete network infiltration, data exfiltration, and disruption of security controls. The vulnerability affects the gateway's core security functions, potentially allowing attackers to bypass the very protections the SecureSphere system is designed to provide, creating a dangerous situation where the security infrastructure becomes the attack vector itself.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of the affected SecureSphere gateway version 13 systems, as provided by Imperva through their security advisory updates. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the web access management interface to trusted networks only. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by restricting access to the gateway interface to authorized personnel only, and implementing multi-factor authentication for all administrative access. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious traffic patterns and malformed requests that could indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for known attack signatures associated with this vulnerability, while maintaining regular security assessments to identify potential additional exposure points within the network infrastructure.