CVE-2020-15367 in Supravizio BPM
Summary
by MITRE
Venki Supravizio BPM 10.1.2 does not limit the number of authentication attempts. An unauthenticated user may exploit this vulnerability to launch a brute-force authentication attack against the Login page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-15367 affects Venki Supravizio BPM version 10.1.2, representing a critical weakness in the application's authentication mechanism that directly impacts system security and access control. This issue stems from the absence of rate limiting or account lockout functionality within the login interface, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious actors to systematically attempt multiple authentication credentials without restriction. The vulnerability specifically targets the authentication endpoint where users must provide valid credentials to access the business process management system, making it a prime target for automated attack vectors.
The technical flaw manifests as a lack of defensive mechanisms that would typically prevent excessive login attempts, which is a fundamental security control required in modern web applications. This absence creates a pathway for brute-force attacks where attackers can rapidly iterate through username and password combinations without facing any delays or account lockouts. The vulnerability falls under CWE-307 - Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts, which explicitly addresses the need for implementing rate limiting and account lockout mechanisms to prevent automated credential guessing attacks. The attack surface is particularly concerning because it affects the core authentication functionality of the application, potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive business process management data and workflows.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can lead to significant business disruption and data compromise. Attackers can leverage this weakness to gain administrative privileges, access confidential business processes, and potentially escalate their access to other connected systems. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for credential stuffing attacks where previously compromised credentials from other breaches can be systematically tested against the vulnerable system. From an attacker's perspective, this represents a low-effort, high-impact vector that can be automated using readily available tools, making it particularly dangerous in environments where the application handles sensitive business data or processes critical workflows.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-15367 should focus on implementing robust authentication controls that align with industry best practices and security frameworks. Organizations should deploy rate limiting mechanisms that restrict the number of authentication attempts per user or IP address within a specified time window, typically implementing exponential backoff delays to slow down automated attacks. The system should also incorporate account lockout functionality after a predetermined number of failed attempts, with administrative reset procedures to prevent denial-of-service conditions. These controls should be implemented at multiple layers including application-level rate limiting, web application firewalls, and network-level protections. Security teams should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication as an additional defense layer, and regularly monitor authentication logs for suspicious activity patterns that may indicate brute-force attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of adhering to the principle of least privilege and implementing defense-in-depth strategies as outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly in the credential access and defense evasion domains where such authentication weaknesses can be exploited to establish persistent access to target systems.