CVE-2020-8591 in eG Manager
Summary
by MITRE
eG Manager 7.1.2 allows authentication bypass via a com.egurkha.EgLoginServlet?uname=admin&upass=&accessKey=eGm0n1t0r request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/28/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2020-8591 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw in eG Manager version 7.1.2, a network monitoring and management platform. This vulnerability stems from improper input validation and authentication handling within the com.egurkha.EgLoginServlet component, which processes login requests through a web interface. The flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to gain administrative access to the system by crafting a specific HTTP request that includes a username parameter set to admin, an empty password parameter, and a hardcoded access key value. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of weak authentication mechanisms and improper input validation, which are commonly categorized as CWE-287 and CWE-20 respectively.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a predictable access key mechanism where the system accepts a hardcoded value eGm0n1t0r as a valid access key without proper verification of the user's credentials. When an attacker sends a request to the EgLoginServlet with the specified parameters, the application fails to properly validate the authentication state and instead grants administrative privileges to any user who can provide the correct access key, regardless of the password field being empty. This bypass occurs because the system does not enforce proper session management and authentication checks, allowing attackers to escalate privileges without legitimate credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with full administrative access to the eG Manager system, potentially enabling them to view, modify, or delete sensitive monitoring data, configure system settings, and establish persistent access to the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects organizations using eG Manager 7.1.2 for network monitoring and management, particularly those that rely on the platform for critical infrastructure monitoring. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to network monitoring data, potentially compromising the integrity and availability of monitoring systems that are essential for network security operations. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials and privilege escalation.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the latest version of eG Manager where the vulnerability has been patched, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the vulnerable application, and enforcing proper access controls and authentication mechanisms. The patch for this vulnerability addresses the hardcoded access key issue and implements proper authentication validation checks. Security measures should also include monitoring for suspicious login attempts and implementing multi-factor authentication where possible. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their monitoring infrastructure and ensure that all network management systems are regularly updated and patched according to vendor security advisories and industry best practices for maintaining secure network operations.