CVE-2022-0859 in ePolicy Orchestrator
Summary
by MITRE • 03/23/2022
McAfee Enterprise ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) prior to 5.10 Update 13 allows a local attacker to point an ePO server to an arbitrary SQL server during the restoration of the ePO server. To achieve this the attacker would have to be logged onto the server hosting the ePO server (restricted to administrators) and to know the SQL server password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/25/2022
The vulnerability CVE-2022-0859 represents a critical security flaw in McAfee Enterprise ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) versions prior to 5.10 Update 13, specifically targeting the database restoration process within the ePO server architecture. This vulnerability resides in the server-side configuration mechanism that governs how ePO handles database recovery operations, creating an attack vector that could potentially compromise the entire security infrastructure managed by the ePO platform. The flaw manifests during the restoration phase when the system allows external SQL server references to be configured without proper validation mechanisms, effectively enabling an attacker to redirect database operations to an unauthorized SQL server instance.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the ePO restoration utility. When administrators perform database restoration operations, the system fails to properly validate the SQL server connection parameters provided during the restoration process. This validation gap allows an attacker with local administrative access to manipulate the restoration configuration to point to a malicious SQL server instead of the legitimate one. The vulnerability requires the attacker to possess local login credentials on the ePO server host, which aligns with privilege escalation and lateral movement attack patterns commonly observed in enterprise environments. The requirement for knowledge of the SQL server password indicates that the vulnerability operates at the authentication layer of database connectivity, where insufficient credential verification occurs during the restoration phase.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-0859 extends beyond simple data compromise to encompass complete system integrity violations and potential data exfiltration capabilities. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to all database records managed by the ePO server, including sensitive configuration data, policy information, and potentially compromised endpoint data. This represents a significant risk to enterprise security posture as ePO servers typically serve as central management points for security policies and threat detection across entire organizations. The attack vector directly aligns with attack techniques categorized under credential access and privilege escalation in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically targeting the T1078 and T1566 sub-techniques. Organizations utilizing ePO for security management would face substantial operational disruption if this vulnerability were exploited, potentially leading to complete loss of centralized security management capabilities.
The remediation for CVE-2022-0859 requires immediate implementation of McAfee's 5.10 Update 13, which addresses the validation gap in the database restoration process through enhanced parameter checking and access controls. Security administrators should also implement additional monitoring mechanisms to detect unauthorized database connection attempts and configuration changes during restoration operations. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security software and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that include network segmentation and access control restrictions. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of affected ePO versions and ensure that administrative access controls are properly enforced. This vulnerability also highlights the necessity of following secure coding practices as outlined in CWE categories related to input validation and access control, specifically CWE-20 for input validation and CWE-285 for improper access control mechanisms. Regular security audits and privileged access management protocols become essential components of the overall security strategy to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in other enterprise security tools.