CVE-2019-17366 in Application Delivery Management
Summary
by MITRE
Citrix Application Delivery Management (ADM) 12.1 before build 54.13 has Incorrect Access Control.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/29/2020
Citrix Application Delivery Management version 12.1 prior to build 54.13 contains a critical access control vulnerability that allows unauthorized users to bypass authentication mechanisms and gain elevated privileges within the system. This vulnerability resides in the application delivery management platform's authorization framework, where improper validation of user credentials and session management creates pathways for malicious actors to escalate their privileges and access restricted administrative functions. The flaw affects organizations that rely on Citrix ADM for load balancing and application delivery services, potentially exposing critical infrastructure components to unauthorized access and manipulation. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and insufficient session handling procedures that fail to properly verify user identities before granting access to sensitive administrative interfaces. Security researchers identified that the system does not adequately enforce role-based access controls, allowing attackers to exploit weak authentication boundaries and execute unauthorized administrative operations. This issue represents a significant deviation from established security standards and best practices for enterprise application management systems.
The technical implementation of this access control flaw manifests through improper validation of user sessions and insufficient authorization checks during critical administrative operations. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious requests that bypass standard authentication flows, potentially gaining access to administrative consoles, configuration settings, and sensitive data repositories. The vulnerability exists in the platform's user management and permission handling modules, where the system fails to properly validate session tokens and user roles before executing privileged commands. This weakness enables attackers to perform actions such as modifying application configurations, accessing sensitive network data, and potentially establishing persistent access points within the organization's network infrastructure. The flaw specifically impacts the authentication flow within Citrix ADM, where session management mechanisms do not adequately protect against session hijacking or privilege escalation attacks, creating a direct pathway for unauthorized access to critical system functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can lead to complete system compromise and data breaches within organizations using affected Citrix ADM versions. Security teams face significant challenges in detecting and mitigating this threat, as the vulnerability operates at the application layer and may not trigger standard intrusion detection systems. Organizations that deploy Citrix ADM for critical infrastructure management face potential exposure to advanced persistent threats, where attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish backdoors, modify application delivery policies, and gain access to sensitive customer data. The vulnerability's exploitation can result in service disruption, data loss, and compliance violations, particularly in regulated industries where proper access controls are mandated. Network administrators must consider the broader implications of this flaw on their overall security posture, as it can serve as a stepping stone for more extensive attacks targeting other network components. This vulnerability directly violates fundamental security principles outlined in the CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) catalog under weakness category 285, which addresses improper authorization and access control mechanisms.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches released by Citrix, which address the specific access control flaws in build 54.13 and later versions. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to restrict access to Citrix ADM interfaces to authorized administrative networks only, reducing the attack surface for potential exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual authentication patterns and privilege escalation attempts within the Citrix ADM environment. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include verification of Citrix ADM versions and patch status to ensure continued protection against this and similar vulnerabilities. System administrators should implement strict access control policies, including multi-factor authentication for administrative access and regular review of user permissions. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the 'T1078' entry for Valid Accounts and 'T1566' for Phishing, as attackers may leverage this flaw to establish persistent access and move laterally within compromised networks. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability, as the attack patterns associated with incorrect access control flaws often follow predictable behavioral signatures that can be detected through proper monitoring.