CVE-2022-22190 in Paragon Active Assurance Control Center
Summary
by MITRE • 04/14/2022
An Improper Access Control vulnerability in the Juniper Networks Paragon Active Assurance Control Center allows an unauthenticated attacker to leverage a crafted URL to generate PDF reports, potentially containing sensitive configuration information. A feature was introduced in version 3.1 of the Paragon Active Assurance Control Center which allows users to selective share account data using a unique identifier. Knowing the proper format of the URL and the identifier of an existing object in an application it is possible to get access to that object without being logged in, even if the object is not shared, resulting in the opportunity for malicious exfiltration of user data. Note that the Paragon Active Assurance Control Center SaaS offering is not affected by this issue. This issue affects Juniper Networks Paragon Active Assurance version 3.1.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/20/2022
The vulnerability CVE-2022-22190 represents a critical improper access control flaw within Juniper Networks Paragon Active Assurance Control Center version 3.1.0, specifically targeting the application's authorization mechanisms. This weakness stems from a design flaw in how the system handles object access control when utilizing a newly introduced sharing feature that was implemented in version 3.1. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to bypass normal authentication requirements through manipulation of specific URL parameters, creating a pathway for unauthorized data access that directly violates fundamental security principles of access control and authentication.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through a predictable URL structure that incorporates unique object identifiers, enabling attackers to construct malicious requests that target specific application objects without proper authentication. The flaw exists because the system fails to properly validate access permissions when processing these crafted URLs, allowing an attacker to determine the correct URL format and object identifiers to access resources that should remain protected. This represents a classic case of insufficient authorization checks, which maps directly to CWE-285, specifically the category of improper access control where an attacker can gain access to resources they should not be able to access. The vulnerability operates at the application layer, specifically affecting the web application's session management and object access controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables potential data exfiltration of sensitive configuration information contained within PDF reports generated by the system. Attackers can leverage this flaw to access objects that are not explicitly shared, potentially obtaining confidential network configuration data, user information, and other sensitive operational details that could be used for further exploitation or lateral movement within the network. The ability to generate PDF reports with potentially sensitive data creates a significant risk for organizations using this system, as it provides a method for extracting information that was not intended for public access. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which covers legitimate credentials, and can be leveraged for privilege escalation or information gathering activities.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including the enforcement of proper access controls, implementation of robust URL parameter validation, and consideration of the application's sharing features to ensure that access restrictions are properly enforced even for objects that are not explicitly shared. The recommended approach includes upgrading to patched versions of the Paragon Active Assurance Control Center, implementing additional authentication layers, and conducting thorough access control reviews to identify and remediate similar issues. Network segmentation and monitoring of access patterns can help detect exploitation attempts, while disabling the problematic sharing feature until a permanent fix is implemented provides a temporary safeguard. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of proper authorization validation and demonstrates how new features can introduce security weaknesses if not properly tested against access control requirements. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious URL patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.