CVE-2019-3763 in RSA Identity Governance
Summary
by MITRE
The RSA Identity Governance and Lifecycle software and RSA Via Lifecycle and Governance products prior to 7.1.0 P08 contain an information exposure vulnerability. The Office 365 user password may get logged in a plain text format in the Office 365 connector debug log file. An authenticated malicious local user with access to the debug logs may obtain the exposed password to use in further attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-3763 affects RSA Identity Governance and Lifecycle software and RSA Via Lifecycle and Governance products versions prior to 7.1.0 P08, representing a critical information exposure flaw that undermines the security posture of identity management systems. This vulnerability specifically impacts the Office 365 connector functionality within these platforms, where sensitive authentication credentials are inadvertently recorded in plaintext format within debug log files. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the connector component, which fails to properly mask or encrypt sensitive data during debugging operations. Organizations utilizing these identity governance solutions face significant risk when legacy versions remain unpatched, as the vulnerability creates an attack vector that can be exploited by malicious actors with local system access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the Office 365 connector module failing to implement proper credential sanitization protocols during debug logging operations. When authentication requests are processed through the connector, user passwords are written to debug log files in their original plaintext format without any form of obfuscation or encryption. This represents a direct violation of security best practices and aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure vulnerabilities where sensitive data is unintentionally disclosed. The flaw exists at the application level within the logging subsystem, where authentication tokens and passwords are not properly filtered or masked before being written to persistent storage. Attackers with legitimate access to the system can exploit this by simply reviewing the debug log files, which typically contain detailed operational information for troubleshooting purposes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it enables a range of subsequent attack vectors that can compromise entire identity ecosystems. An authenticated malicious local user who gains access to debug log files can obtain valid Office 365 passwords and leverage them for lateral movement within the organization's network infrastructure. This access can facilitate privilege escalation attacks, enable unauthorized access to cloud resources, and potentially allow attackers to establish persistent backdoors within the environment. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires minimal sophistication to exploit, as attackers only need local file system access and knowledge of the log file locations to retrieve the exposed credentials. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which covers legitimate credentials usage through the exploitation of debug logging mechanisms.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including patching to version 7.1.0 P08 or later, which addresses the root cause by implementing proper credential sanitization in debug logging operations. System administrators must also conduct comprehensive log file audits to identify and remove any previously exposed credentials from debug logs, while implementing access controls to restrict local system access to only authorized personnel. Additional security measures should include regular monitoring of log file access patterns and implementing centralized logging solutions that can automatically sanitize sensitive data before storage. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53 controls related to audit logging and access control, particularly controls AU-2 through AU-12 which govern audit logging and monitoring requirements. Organizations should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning tools that can detect similar information exposure vulnerabilities in other applications and systems within their environment to prevent similar incidents from occurring.