CVE-2020-29478 in CA Service Catalog
Summary
by MITRE • 01/06/2021
CA Service Catalog 17.2 and 17.3 contain a vulnerability in the default configuration of the Setup Utility that may allow a remote attacker to cause a denial of service condition.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/08/2026
The vulnerability in CA Service Catalog versions 17.2 and 17.3 resides within the default configuration of the Setup Utility component, presenting a remote code execution risk that could lead to denial of service conditions. This flaw specifically affects the utility's initialization process where default settings fail to properly validate incoming requests, creating an entry point for malicious actors to exploit. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization mechanisms within the setup framework, allowing attackers to craft malformed requests that trigger unexpected behavior in the service catalog's operational stack. Such conditions can result in system instability, application crashes, or complete service unavailability, fundamentally compromising the availability aspect of the system's security posture.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of insufficient input validation within a configuration utility that should enforce strict security boundaries during system initialization. When the Setup Utility processes requests without proper sanitization or authentication checks, it becomes susceptible to malformed inputs that can manipulate the utility's execution flow. This weakness aligns with CWE-20, which addresses improper input validation issues that can lead to various security consequences including denial of service conditions. The flaw operates at the configuration layer rather than the application layer, making it particularly dangerous as it can compromise the system's foundational setup process before normal operational security controls are fully established.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations relying on CA Service Catalog for their service management operations, as it can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication credentials. Attackers can leverage this weakness to initiate denial of service attacks that disrupt service catalog functionality, potentially affecting business processes that depend on automated service provisioning and catalog management. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption to include potential data integrity concerns, as the compromised setup utility may alter system configurations in unpredictable ways. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where the service catalog is exposed to untrusted networks or where default configurations are not properly hardened before deployment.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including disabling unnecessary network access to the Setup Utility, applying available patches from CA Technologies, and implementing network segmentation to limit exposure. The recommended approach involves configuring firewalls to restrict access to setup utility endpoints, ensuring that only authorized administrative systems can reach these interfaces. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough configuration reviews to verify that default settings have been properly hardened and that appropriate access controls are implemented. This vulnerability highlights the importance of secure configuration management practices and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1210, which covers exploitation of remote services through configuration weaknesses. The remediation strategy should include regular security assessments of system utilities and implementation of principle of least privilege controls to minimize potential attack surface exposure.