CVE-2018-7691 in Fortify Software Security Center
Summary
by MITRE
A potential Remote Unauthorized Access in Micro Focus Fortify Software Security Center (SSC), versions 17.10, 17.20, 18.10 this exploitation could allow Remote Unauthorized Access
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7691 represents a critical security flaw in Micro Focus Fortify Software Security Center versions 17.10, 17.20, and 18.10 that exposes the system to remote unauthorized access attacks. This vulnerability stems from insufficient authentication mechanisms within the application's web interface, creating a pathway for malicious actors to bypass normal access controls and gain unauthorized administrative privileges. The flaw specifically affects the application's handling of session management and authentication tokens, allowing attackers to exploit weaknesses in the security architecture without requiring legitimate credentials. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, making it particularly dangerous as it directly undermines the fundamental security principle of access control. Attackers can leverage this weakness to execute arbitrary commands, access sensitive data, modify system configurations, and potentially escalate privileges to full administrative control over the Fortify SSC environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a flaw in the authentication flow where the application fails to properly validate session tokens and user credentials during critical operations. When users interact with the web interface, the system should verify that each request originates from an authenticated and authorized user before processing sensitive operations. However, the vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate authentication parameters or reuse valid tokens in ways that bypass these security checks. This weakness enables what security researchers categorize as a privilege escalation attack pattern, where an unauthenticated attacker can gain elevated access rights through manipulation of the application's authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that Fortify SSC is typically deployed in enterprise environments where it handles sensitive security data, making the potential compromise of such systems particularly severe. The attack vector is classified as remote since no local access or physical presence is required, allowing threat actors to exploit the vulnerability from any network location.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-7691 extends beyond simple unauthorized access, creating cascading security risks that can compromise entire software development lifecycles. Organizations utilizing Fortify SSC for security scanning and code analysis face significant exposure when this vulnerability is exploited, as attackers can access the application's database containing sensitive security scan results, source code analysis data, and potentially production environment information. The vulnerability creates opportunities for attackers to modify security configurations, inject malicious code into the security scanning process, or even use the compromised system as a pivot point to attack other systems within the network. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and credential access, with potential for lateral movement once initial access is achieved. The security implications are particularly severe for organizations that rely on Fortify SSC for continuous security monitoring, as a compromised system could allow attackers to hide malicious code within security scan results or manipulate findings to avoid detection.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including applying the vendor-provided security patches, implementing network segmentation to isolate the Fortify SSC instance, and strengthening authentication mechanisms through multi-factor authentication where possible. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual authentication patterns or unauthorized access attempts to the application's administrative interfaces. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security software and conducting regular vulnerability assessments to identify potential weaknesses in security infrastructure. Additionally, organizations should review their access control policies and implement principle of least privilege configurations to minimize the potential impact if similar vulnerabilities are discovered in other systems. The incident underscores the need for robust security architectures that incorporate defense-in-depth strategies to protect critical security tools from being compromised and used against the organization's own security posture.