CVE-2018-6979 in Workspace ONE Unified Endpoint Management Console
Summary
by MITRE
The VMware Workspace ONE Unified Endpoint Management Console (A/W Console) 9.7.x prior to 9.7.0.8, 9.6.x prior to 9.6.0.8, 9.5.x prior to 9.5.0.17, 9.4.x prior to 9.4.0.23, 9.3.x prior to 9.3.0.25, 9.2.x prior to 9.2.3.28, and 9.1.x prior to 9.1.5.6 contains a SAML authentication bypass vulnerability which can be leveraged during device enrollment. This vulnerability may allow for a malicious actor to impersonate an authorized SAML session if certificate-based authentication is enabled. This vulnerability is also relevant if certificate-based authentication is not enabled, but the outcome of exploitation is limited to an information disclosure (Important Severity) in those cases.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/23/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6979 represents a critical SAML authentication bypass flaw within VMware Workspace ONE Unified Endpoint Management Console versions prior to specific patch releases. This issue affects multiple version streams including 9.7.x through 9.1.x, creating a widespread impact across the VMware workspace one platform. The vulnerability specifically targets the authentication mechanisms used during device enrollment processes, where SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) authentication is employed to verify user identities. The flaw allows malicious actors to bypass the normal authentication flow, potentially enabling unauthorized access to managed devices and systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper validation of SAML assertions within the enrollment workflow. When certificate-based authentication is enabled, the flaw creates an opportunity for attackers to impersonate legitimate SAML sessions, effectively gaining unauthorized access to the management console. This bypass occurs during the critical device enrollment phase where the system should rigorously validate authentication credentials. The vulnerability manifests as a failure in the authentication chain where the system does not properly verify the integrity of SAML assertions or the authentication context, allowing crafted malicious requests to proceed without proper verification.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, particularly when certificate-based authentication is enabled. Attackers could potentially enroll malicious devices into the management environment, gaining persistent access to corporate networks and endpoints. Even in scenarios without certificate-based authentication, the vulnerability results in information disclosure, exposing sensitive authentication data and potentially user credentials. This weakness creates a pathway for attackers to escalate privileges and move laterally within the network environment, as the compromised authentication system could be leveraged to access additional resources. The vulnerability's relevance during device enrollment makes it particularly dangerous as it targets a critical point in the security infrastructure where new devices are integrated into the managed environment.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant patches released by VMware for each affected version stream. The patch versions mentioned in the CVE specifically address the authentication bypass issue by strengthening SAML assertion validation and ensuring proper session management during enrollment processes. Additional defensive measures include implementing network segmentation to limit access to the management console, monitoring authentication logs for suspicious activities, and validating certificate-based authentication configurations. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1531 for credential stuffing, though the specific bypass mechanism is more closely related to privilege escalation through authentication flaws. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication controls and regularly auditing their SAML configurations to prevent exploitation of similar authentication bypass vulnerabilities in their environment.