CVE-2018-6672 in ePolicy Orchestrator
Summary
by MITRE
Information disclosure vulnerability in McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) 5.3.0 through 5.3.3 and 5.9.0 through 5.9.1 allows authenticated users to view sensitive information in plain text format via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2023
The CVE-2018-6672 vulnerability represents a critical information disclosure flaw within McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator versions 5.3.0 through 5.3.3 and 5.9.0 through 5.9.1. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-200 category of "Information Exposure" and specifically manifests as an authenticated information disclosure issue that compromises the confidentiality of sensitive data. The vulnerability allows attackers who have already gained authentication access to the ePO system to extract sensitive information that should remain protected, as it is transmitted and stored in plain text format rather than being properly encrypted or obfuscated.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of sensitive data within the ePO application's communication channels and data storage mechanisms. When authenticated users interact with the system, certain sensitive information elements are inadvertently exposed through unspecified vectors that bypass normal access controls and encryption protocols. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the application level where legitimate users already possess authentication credentials, making it more difficult to detect and mitigate compared to external attacks. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects multiple version ranges, indicating a persistent flaw in the software's data handling architecture that was not adequately addressed through the affected releases.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-6672 extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can lead to significant compromise of security infrastructure and organizational assets. When sensitive information is transmitted in plain text, it becomes vulnerable to interception during network transmission and can be accessed by any entity with the appropriate network monitoring capabilities. The vulnerability's presence in ePO systems, which serve as central security management platforms, means that attackers could potentially access critical security policies, user credentials, system configurations, and other sensitive operational data that would normally be protected. This information could then be leveraged for further attacks, including privilege escalation, lateral movement, and targeted exploitation of other systems within the organization's network infrastructure.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including the urgent application of available patches from McAfee, which would address the underlying data handling mechanisms that permit plain text exposure. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous data access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and access controls should be reviewed and strengthened to minimize the attack surface. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005 "Data from Local System" and T1074 "Data Staged" as it enables unauthorized access to sensitive data through legitimate system access. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive audits of their ePO implementations to identify any other potential information disclosure vulnerabilities and ensure that all sensitive data is properly encrypted both in transit and at rest. The incident underscores the critical importance of proper data handling practices and the necessity of implementing robust security controls even within authenticated access environments.