CVE-2021-44875 in Systeam
Summary
by MITRE • 12/21/2021
Dalmark Systems Systeam 2.22.8 build 1724 is vulnerable to User enumeration. The Systeam application is an ERP system that uses a mixed architecture based on SaaS tenant and user management, and on-premise database and web application counterparts. This issue occurs during the password recovery procedure for a given user, where a difference in messages could allow an attacker to determine if the given user is valid or not, enabling a brute force attack with valid users.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-44875 affects Dalmark Systems Systeam version 2.22.8 build 1724, an enterprise resource planning system that operates with a hybrid architecture combining software as a service tenant management with on-premise database and web application components. This mixed architecture creates a complex attack surface where user enumeration flaws can be exploited to compromise the authentication system. The vulnerability specifically manifests during the password recovery process, which represents a critical security weakness in the application's user management workflow.
The technical flaw stems from inconsistent error messaging during password recovery operations. When an attacker attempts to recover a password for a user account, the system provides different response messages depending on whether the user exists in the system or not. This differential response allows an attacker to perform user enumeration by observing the varying error messages returned by the system. The vulnerability directly relates to CWE-203, which describes "Information Exposure Through Discrepancy in Messages," and represents a classic example of how subtle implementation details can create significant security weaknesses. The system's failure to provide consistent error responses creates a timing attack vector where an attacker can systematically determine valid user accounts through repeated password recovery attempts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it enables attackers to conduct targeted brute force attacks against valid user accounts within the Systeam ERP system. Once an attacker has identified valid user accounts through enumeration, they can focus their efforts on cracking passwords for those specific accounts rather than attempting to guess random user names. This significantly reduces the computational resources and time required to compromise the system. The vulnerability affects the entire user base of the ERP system, potentially exposing sensitive corporate data and creating opportunities for lateral movement within the network. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1078 Valid Accounts and T1110 Brute Force, as it enables both account discovery and credential brute forcing activities that can lead to full system compromise.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing consistent error messaging throughout the authentication and password recovery processes. The system should return identical error messages regardless of whether a user account exists or not during password recovery operations. Organizations should also implement account lockout mechanisms, rate limiting, and monitoring for unusual authentication patterns. Additional controls include implementing multi-factor authentication to protect valid accounts even if password recovery enumeration occurs, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for automated enumeration attempts. The fix should address the root cause by ensuring that the password recovery process does not expose information about user account validity, thereby preventing the differential response that enables user enumeration attacks.