CVE-2018-6885 in Web Services
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in MicroStrategy Web Services (the Microsoft Office plugin) before 10.4 Hotfix 7, and before 10.11. The vulnerability is unauthenticated and leads to access to the asset files with the MicroStrategy user privileges. (This includes the credentials to access the admin dashboard which may lead to RCE.) The path traversal is located in a SOAP request in the web service component.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6885 represents a critical path traversal flaw within MicroStrategy Web Services that affects versions prior to 10.4 Hotfix 7 and 10.11. This security weakness exists within the Microsoft Office plugin component of the MicroStrategy platform, creating an unauthenticated access vector that allows attackers to bypass normal authorization mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically resides in the SOAP request processing functionality of the web service component, where improper input validation enables malicious actors to manipulate file paths and gain unauthorized access to sensitive asset files. The flaw operates at the application layer and exploits the lack of proper sanitization of user-supplied data in SOAP requests, which are typically used for web service communications between client applications and server components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate path validation within the web service processing logic, allowing attackers to construct malicious SOAP requests that traverse directory structures beyond the intended scope. This weakness falls under the CWE-22 category of Path Traversal, which is classified as a common vulnerability pattern that occurs when applications fail to properly validate and sanitize file paths. The attack vector specifically targets the SOAP interface where user input is directly incorporated into file system operations without adequate sanitization or access control checks. When exploited, the vulnerability enables attackers to access files within the MicroStrategy user context, which includes sensitive administrative credentials and system configuration data. The implications extend beyond simple file access, as the credentials obtained through this vulnerability can potentially lead to remote code execution capabilities, making this a particularly dangerous weakness in the security architecture.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-6885 is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with unauthorized access to critical system resources that would normally require legitimate authentication. The vulnerability allows attackers to access the admin dashboard credentials, which represents a significant compromise of the system's security posture since these credentials typically provide full administrative privileges. Once an attacker obtains these credentials, they can potentially escalate their privileges further to achieve complete system compromise, making this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors. The unauthenticated nature of the exploit means that no prior authorization is required to attempt exploitation, significantly increasing the attack surface and reducing the barriers to successful compromise. The affected MicroStrategy versions indicate that this vulnerability existed for an extended period, potentially allowing attackers to exploit it across multiple deployments without detection.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-6885 should focus on immediate patching of affected MicroStrategy installations to version 10.4 Hotfix 7 or 10.11, which contain the necessary security fixes for the path traversal vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the affected web services to only trusted networks and users. The security configuration should include disabling unnecessary SOAP endpoints and implementing proper input validation for all user-supplied data in web service requests. Additionally, monitoring and logging should be enhanced to detect suspicious SOAP request patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly those involving directory traversal sequences. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any other potential path traversal vulnerabilities in related systems and ensure that proper security controls are in place to prevent similar weaknesses in the application architecture. The remediation process should also include reviewing and updating security policies to address the specific threat vectors associated with unauthenticated access to administrative functions and the importance of proper input validation in web service implementations.