CVE-2020-7269 in Advanced Threat Defense
Summary
by MITRE • 04/15/2021
Exposure of Sensitive Information in the web interface in McAfee Advanced Threat Defense (ATD) prior to 4.12.2 allows remote authenticated users to view sensitive unencrypted information via a carefully crafted HTTP request parameter. The risk is partially mitigated if your ATD instances are deployed as recommended with no direct access from the Internet to them.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/21/2021
The vulnerability CVE-2020-7269 represents a critical information disclosure weakness in McAfee Advanced Threat Defense (ATD) versions prior to 4.12.2, where sensitive unencrypted data becomes accessible through carefully crafted HTTP request parameters. This flaw exists within the web interface component of the ATD platform, which serves as the primary administrative and monitoring portal for threat detection and analysis capabilities. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly filter or escape user-supplied parameters before processing them within the application's request handling pipeline. Attackers can exploit this weakness by constructing specific HTTP requests that manipulate parameter values to access restricted data that should remain protected from unauthorized viewing.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which categorizes information exposure flaws that occur when applications inadvertently reveal sensitive data to unauthorized users. The flaw operates at the application layer where HTTP request parameters are processed without proper validation, allowing malicious actors to craft requests that traverse the application's access controls. The unencrypted nature of the sensitive information means that even if network traffic is intercepted, the data remains readable to any entity with access to the communication channel. This exposure typically includes configuration details, system information, user credentials, or other administrative data that could provide attackers with valuable insights for further exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data disclosure, as it significantly weakens the overall security posture of ATD deployments and creates opportunities for more sophisticated attacks. Remote authenticated users who can access the web interface can leverage this vulnerability to gather intelligence about the target environment, potentially identifying other system vulnerabilities or configuration weaknesses. The risk is particularly concerning for organizations that rely on ATD for advanced threat detection, as the disclosure of sensitive information could compromise the effectiveness of their security monitoring capabilities. The vulnerability also undermines the principle of least privilege, as users with legitimate access may inadvertently expose more information than intended through their normal administrative activities.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to McAfee ATD version 4.12.2 or later, which contains patches addressing the input validation weaknesses. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enforced to limit direct internet exposure of ATD instances, as recommended by the vendor's deployment guidelines. Additional protective measures include implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious HTTP requests, enabling comprehensive logging and monitoring of administrative activities, and conducting regular security assessments to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following security best practices such as encrypting sensitive data in transit and at rest, implementing proper input sanitization, and maintaining up-to-date security patches across all deployed systems. This weakness demonstrates the critical need for continuous security monitoring and the application of defense-in-depth strategies to protect enterprise security infrastructure from information disclosure threats.