CVE-2019-4326 in AppScan Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE • 10/06/2020
"HCL AppScan Enterprise security rules update administration section of the web application console is missing HTTP Strict-Transport-Security Header."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/16/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-4326 resides within the HCL AppScan Enterprise security application console, specifically affecting the administration section of the web application. This issue represents a critical configuration flaw that undermines the security posture of the application by failing to implement proper transport layer security measures. The web application console serves as the primary interface for security administrators to manage and configure security policies, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise the system. The absence of the HTTP Strict-Transport-Security header creates a significant attack surface that can be exploited by malicious actors to conduct various forms of man-in-the-middle attacks and session hijacking attempts.
The technical flaw manifests as a missing HTTP Strict-Transport-Security header in the web application's response to client requests. This header is a crucial security mechanism that instructs web browsers to only communicate with the server over secure HTTPS connections and to automatically redirect any HTTP requests to their HTTPS equivalents. The implementation of this header is essential for preventing protocol downgrade attacks and ensuring that sensitive administrative functions remain protected from unauthorized access. Without this header, the application becomes vulnerable to attacks that can force users into insecure HTTP connections, potentially exposing administrative credentials and configuration data to interception.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple protocol enforcement, as it directly compromises the integrity and confidentiality of the administrative console. Security administrators who rely on this console for critical system management tasks face increased risk of unauthorized access and potential system compromise. The vulnerability can be exploited by attackers to perform session hijacking attacks, where they intercept and reuse administrative sessions to gain unauthorized access to the security configuration settings. Additionally, the missing header creates opportunities for attackers to perform protocol downgrade attacks, forcing users to interact with the application over unencrypted HTTP connections where sensitive data can be easily intercepted and manipulated.
Organizations utilizing HCL AppScan Enterprise face significant security risks due to this missing header implementation. The vulnerability creates a pathway for attackers to compromise the security monitoring and management capabilities of the application, potentially leading to unauthorized changes to security policies and configurations. This can result in the exposure of sensitive security data, disruption of security monitoring functions, and potential escalation to full system compromise. The impact is particularly severe given that the administration section typically contains highly privileged access controls and sensitive configuration information that should remain protected from unauthorized access.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing the HTTP Strict-Transport-Security header with appropriate parameters including a sufficient max-age value and the includeSubDomains directive. The header should be configured to enforce secure connections for the entire application domain and its subdomains, ensuring that all communication channels remain encrypted. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify any other missing security headers and configuration issues within the web application. Regular security testing and monitoring should be implemented to verify that the security headers remain properly configured and that no regressions occur during system updates or maintenance activities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-311, which addresses the absence of proper encryption of sensitive data, and represents a clear violation of the principle of defense in depth that should be applied to all security-critical web applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this issue under T1566, which encompasses credential access through various attack vectors including protocol downgrade and session hijacking techniques that can exploit such missing security headers.