CVE-2021-38696 in SARABAN for INFOMA
Summary
by MITRE • 01/18/2022
SoftVibe SARABAN for INFOMA 1.1 has Incorrect Access Control vulnerability, that allows attackers to access signature files on the application without any authentication.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2022
The CVE-2021-38696 vulnerability affects SoftVibe SARABAN for INFOMA version 1.1, representing a critical access control flaw that fundamentally undermines the security posture of the application. This vulnerability resides in the application's authentication mechanisms and permits unauthorized access to sensitive signature files that should be protected by proper authorization controls. The flaw enables attackers to bypass authentication requirements entirely, gaining direct access to signature files that likely contain cryptographic credentials or digital signatures essential for verifying application integrity and user authenticity. Such a vulnerability directly contravenes fundamental security principles of least privilege and mandatory access control, where system resources should only be accessible to authorized entities with proper authentication and authorization.
This vulnerability manifests as an improper access control implementation that falls under CWE-285, which specifically addresses insufficient authorization issues within software applications. The flaw allows attackers to perform unauthorized operations against protected resources without requiring valid credentials or proper authentication tokens. The impact extends beyond simple data access, as signature files typically contain critical cryptographic information that could be exploited to forge digital signatures, impersonate legitimate users, or compromise the entire application ecosystem. The vulnerability represents a design flaw in the application's security architecture where the access control enforcement mechanisms fail to properly validate user identities before granting access to sensitive resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, potentially enabling attackers to compromise the integrity and authenticity of the application's digital signatures. Attackers could exploit this weakness to access signature files containing private keys, certificates, or other cryptographic materials that are essential for maintaining trust in the application's operations. This access could facilitate man-in-the-middle attacks, application tampering, or the creation of fraudulent digital signatures that would be accepted by the system as legitimate. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for privilege escalation attacks where unauthorized users could gain elevated access to other system components that rely on the same signature infrastructure for authentication. Such exploitation could lead to complete system compromise and data breaches that undermine the trust model of the entire INFOMA platform.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust authentication and access control mechanisms that enforce proper authorization checks before granting access to signature files. Organizations should immediately implement strong authentication requirements for all access points to sensitive resources, including multi-factor authentication where possible. The application architecture must be reviewed to ensure that proper access control lists are enforced for all signature files, with appropriate privilege levels assigned to different user roles. Additionally, the system should implement proper audit logging to track access attempts to signature files, enabling security teams to detect and respond to unauthorized access attempts. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and code reviews to identify similar access control flaws that may exist in other components of the application. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1566 which covers credential access, making it a significant vector for attackers seeking to establish persistent access within the target environment.