CVE-2019-3631 in Enterprise Security Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Command Injection vulnerability in McAfee Enterprise Security Manager (ESM) prior to 11.2.0 and prior to 10.4.0 allows authenticated user to execute arbitrary code via specially crafted parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/09/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-3631 represents a critical command injection flaw within McAfee Enterprise Security Manager (ESM) versions prior to 11.2.0 and 10.4.0. This security weakness stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the ESM application's parameter processing logic. The vulnerability specifically affects authenticated users who can manipulate input parameters to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying system. The flaw exists in the way the software handles user-supplied data during parameter processing, creating an avenue for malicious actors to bypass authentication controls and gain unauthorized system access. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-77 category, which specifically addresses command injection flaws in software applications. The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows an attacker to inject operating system commands through crafted input parameters, potentially enabling complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive data.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-3631 extends far beyond simple code execution capabilities, as it provides authenticated attackers with the ability to perform system-level operations that could result in data breaches, service disruption, and complete system compromise. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability can execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the ESM service account, which typically possesses elevated permissions within the system. This could lead to unauthorized access to network monitoring data, configuration changes, and potentially lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only authenticated access, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by insider threats or compromised user accounts. From an attack chain perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which describes command and scripting interpreter usage, and T1068, which covers exploit for privilege escalation. The affected McAfee ESM versions likely process user inputs through insecure command construction methods that concatenate user data directly into system commands without proper sanitization or escaping mechanisms.
Organizations utilizing vulnerable McAfee ESM versions face significant risk exposure due to the potential for complete system compromise and unauthorized data access. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that ESM is typically deployed as a central security management platform, making it a prime target for attackers seeking persistent access to network security infrastructure. Security teams must consider the potential for this vulnerability to be used as a stepping stone for broader attacks, including data exfiltration, credential theft, and establishment of backdoors within the network. The affected systems may also experience service disruption if attackers exploit the vulnerability to execute destructive commands or manipulate security policies. Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment to the latest ESM versions, which contain proper input validation and sanitization controls. Additionally, network segmentation and privilege separation should be implemented to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any other systems that may be running vulnerable versions of McAfee products or similar software with similar command injection vulnerabilities. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patches in controlled environments before deployment to production systems, ensuring that the updates do not introduce compatibility issues with existing security policies or monitoring configurations.