CVE-2018-6504 in Management Center
Summary
by MITRE
A potential Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability has been identified in ArcSight Management Center (ArcMC) in all versions prior to 2.81. This vulnerability could be exploited to allow for Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6504 represents a critical Cross-Site Request Forgery weakness in the ArcSight Management Center (ArcMC) platform, affecting all versions prior to 2.81. This CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF mechanisms within the web application framework of ArcMC, creating a significant security risk for organizations utilizing this security information and event management solution. The flaw allows attackers to exploit the lack of validation tokens or session management controls that would normally prevent unauthorized requests from being executed on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability specifically impacts the administrative functions of the ArcSight Management Center, where users with valid credentials could be tricked into executing unintended operations through maliciously crafted web requests. This weakness aligns with CWE-352, which defines Cross-Site Request Forgery as a vulnerability where the application fails to validate that requests originate from legitimate sources, making it a well-documented and widely recognized security flaw in web applications. The attack vector typically involves an attacker crafting malicious web pages or emails that, when visited by an authenticated user, automatically submit requests to the ArcSight Management Center without the user's knowledge or consent.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability in ArcMC occurs due to the application's failure to implement proper request validation mechanisms for administrative operations. When legitimate users access the ArcSight Management Center with valid credentials, their session remains active and authenticated, but the system does not require additional validation tokens for critical operations such as configuration changes, user management, or system modifications. This allows attackers to construct HTTP requests that, when triggered by an authenticated user, perform unauthorized actions within the application context. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because ArcSight Management Center serves as a central security management platform, making successful exploitation potentially devastating for organizations relying on its capabilities for security monitoring and incident response. Attackers could leverage this weakness to modify security policies, add malicious users, or alter system configurations without detection, effectively compromising the integrity and availability of the security infrastructure. The flaw demonstrates a failure in implementing the principle of least privilege and proper session management, which are fundamental security requirements for web applications handling sensitive administrative functions.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-6504 extends beyond simple unauthorized access, potentially enabling attackers to completely compromise the ArcSight Management Center environment and the broader security infrastructure it manages. Successful exploitation could result in persistent unauthorized access to critical security systems, allowing attackers to maintain long-term presence within the network while evading detection mechanisms. Organizations using vulnerable versions of ArcSight Management Center face risks including data exfiltration, privilege escalation, and the ability to manipulate security events and alerts. The vulnerability could be exploited through various attack vectors including phishing campaigns, compromised websites, or social engineering tactics that trick users into visiting malicious content. This threat scenario is particularly dangerous because it leverages the trust relationship between the user and the application, making detection difficult as malicious activities appear to originate from legitimate authenticated users. The impact on security operations could be severe, as the compromised management center would be unable to properly monitor or respond to security incidents, potentially allowing other attacks to go undetected while the attacker maintains control over the security infrastructure.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to ArcSight Management Center version 2.81 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the CSRF vulnerability. The recommended approach involves applying the vendor-provided security updates and patches as soon as they become available, ensuring that all administrative functions implement proper anti-CSRF token validation mechanisms. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious request patterns, though these should be viewed as supplementary protections rather than primary solutions. The mitigation strategy should include reviewing and strengthening session management practices, implementing proper request validation for all administrative operations, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications. Security teams should also establish monitoring procedures to detect unusual administrative activities that might indicate exploitation attempts, while ensuring that users are educated about the risks of visiting untrusted websites or clicking on suspicious links. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security software and implementing comprehensive security controls that align with the principles outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms that attackers might exploit through CSRF vulnerabilities.