CVE-2020-11576 in Fixed
Summary
by MITRE
Fixed in v1.5.1, Argo version v1.5.0 was vulnerable to a user-enumeration vulnerability which allowed attackers to determine the usernames of valid (non-SSO) accounts within Argo.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-11576 represents a critical user enumeration flaw discovered in Argo version 1.5.0, which was subsequently patched in version 1.5.1. This security weakness specifically affected systems utilizing non-SSO authentication mechanisms within the Argo platform, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on traditional username and password authentication methods. The vulnerability emerged from insufficient validation and response handling during authentication attempts, allowing malicious actors to distinguish between valid and invalid user accounts through subtle differences in system responses.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to provide consistent error messages or response times when processing authentication requests. Attackers could exploit this inconsistency by sending multiple authentication attempts with different usernames, observing variations in response behavior, timing, or error messages to infer which accounts existed within the system. This type of information disclosure vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which catalogs weaknesses related to information exposure, and specifically demonstrates how improper error handling can lead to account enumeration attacks. The flaw essentially created a side-channel attack vector where the system's behavior revealed sensitive information about its internal state.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-11576 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables attackers to conduct targeted credential stuffing or brute force attacks against valid accounts. Once attackers identify legitimate usernames through enumeration, they can focus their efforts on cracking passwords for those specific accounts, dramatically increasing their chances of successful compromise. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that have not implemented additional security controls such as account lockout mechanisms, rate limiting, or multi-factor authentication, as the enumeration process provides attackers with the foundational information needed for more sophisticated attacks. The risk is amplified in environments where users reuse passwords across multiple systems, potentially enabling lateral movement throughout the network.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Argo version 1.5.1 or later, which addresses the enumeration vulnerability through consistent error handling and response formatting. Additional protective measures include implementing rate limiting on authentication attempts, deploying account lockout policies after failed login attempts, and enabling multi-factor authentication to reduce the impact of compromised credentials. Security teams should also monitor authentication logs for unusual patterns that might indicate enumeration attempts and consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on suspicious authentication behavior. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access and reconnaissance activities, specifically covering T1078 for valid accounts and T1580 for reconnaissance, making it a critical consideration for organizations implementing comprehensive cybersecurity frameworks.