CVE-2019-3718 in SupportAssist Client
Summary
by MITRE
Dell SupportAssist Client versions prior to 3.2.0.90 contain an improper origin validation vulnerability. An unauthenticated remote attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability to attempt CSRF attacks on users of the impacted systems.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-3718 affects Dell SupportAssist Client software versions earlier than 3.2.0.90, representing a critical security weakness in the client-side application designed for system management and support services. This issue stems from inadequate validation of origin sources within the application's web interface components, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system through cross-site request forgery attacks. The flaw specifically resides in how the application handles requests originating from external sources, failing to properly authenticate or validate the legitimacy of incoming requests before processing them.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of insufficient input validation and origin verification mechanisms within the web application framework. When SupportAssist Client processes web requests, it does not adequately verify that requests originate from trusted sources, allowing an attacker to craft malicious requests that appear to come from legitimate user sessions. This weakness enables attackers to manipulate the application's behavior through carefully constructed requests that leverage the authenticated session of a victim user, effectively bypassing normal security controls that would otherwise prevent unauthorized actions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to enterprise environments where Dell SupportAssist Client is deployed across multiple systems. An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this weakness to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of legitimate users, potentially leading to system compromise, data manipulation, or unauthorized administrative actions. The attack surface extends beyond individual systems to encompass entire network infrastructures where multiple SupportAssist clients are deployed, creating cascading security implications. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access or local credentials to attempt exploitation, significantly increasing the attack vector surface.
The security implications of CVE-2019-3718 align with CWE-346, which addresses improper validation of origin, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1566 for social engineering attacks and T1071 for application layer protocols. Organizations utilizing affected SupportAssist Client versions face potential unauthorized system modifications, data exfiltration, or privilege escalation opportunities that could result in complete system compromise. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning given that SupportAssist clients typically operate with elevated privileges and access to system management functions, making successful exploitation potentially devastating to organizational security posture.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including mandatory software updates to version 3.2.0.90 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the origin validation flaw. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to SupportAssist client interfaces, limiting exposure to unauthorized users. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious request patterns that may indicate attempted exploitation of this vulnerability. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other enterprise applications, ensuring comprehensive security coverage across all system components.