CVE-2019-18374 in Critical System Protection
Summary
by MITRE
Symantec Critical System Protection (CSP), versions 8.0, 8.0 HF1 & 8.0 MP1, may be susceptible to an authentication bypass vulnerability, which is a type of issue that can potentially allow a threat actor to circumvent existing authentication controls.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/26/2019
Symantec Critical System Protection version 8.0, along with its hotfixes and maintenance patches 8.0 HF1 and 8.0 MP1, contains a critical authentication bypass vulnerability that fundamentally undermines the security controls designed to protect enterprise systems. This vulnerability represents a significant weakness in the authentication mechanism that could enable unauthorized access to protected environments. The flaw allows threat actors to bypass existing authentication protocols without proper credentials, effectively rendering the security controls ineffective. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where CSP is deployed to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive data. The authentication bypass occurs at a fundamental level within the software architecture, potentially enabling attackers to gain access to system resources that should be restricted to authorized users only.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of authentication requests within the Symantec CSP framework. The flaw likely exists in the way the system processes authentication tokens or credentials, allowing malicious actors to manipulate the authentication flow. This type of vulnerability is classified as a weakness in authentication mechanisms and aligns with common patterns identified in the CWE database under authentication-related weaknesses. The vulnerability may be related to improper input validation, weak session management, or flawed credential verification processes that permit unauthorized access attempts to succeed. Attackers could exploit this weakness by crafting specially formatted authentication requests or by manipulating existing authentication flows to bypass the normal verification process. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the critical nature of the systems it protects, as bypassing authentication on security tools designed to protect enterprise environments provides attackers with unprecedented access to protected assets.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, creating potential pathways for lateral movement within networks and enabling more sophisticated attack vectors. When authentication bypass occurs in security tools like Symantec CSP, threat actors can potentially escalate privileges, access restricted data, or manipulate security configurations to maintain persistent access. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and could enable attackers to compromise entire enterprise security infrastructures. The affected versions represent a significant attack surface since CSP is deployed in critical system protection roles, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations that rely on the software for their security posture. The vulnerability's exploitation could lead to data breaches, system compromise, and potential regulatory compliance violations, especially in industries with strict security requirements such as finance, healthcare, or government sectors.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying the latest available patches from Symantec to address this authentication bypass vulnerability. The recommended approach involves deploying the vendor-provided security updates that specifically target the authentication flow weaknesses identified in the affected versions. Network segmentation and additional monitoring should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts, while access controls should be reviewed and strengthened to limit potential damage. Security teams should also consider implementing additional authentication layers or multi-factor authentication mechanisms to provide defense in depth. The vulnerability's classification as an authentication bypass aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access, making it a critical target for immediate remediation. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and ensure that their security monitoring systems are capable of detecting anomalous authentication patterns that might indicate exploitation of this vulnerability.