CVE-2022-25806 in Universal Management Suite
Summary
by MITRE • 06/09/2022
An issue was discovered in the IGEL Universal Management Suite (UMS) 6.07.100. A hardcoded DES key in the PrefDBCredentials class allows an attacker, who has discovered encrypted superuser credentials, to decrypt those credentials using a static 8-byte DES key.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/11/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-25806 resides within the IGEL Universal Management Suite version 6.07.100, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the confidentiality of administrative credentials. This issue manifests through the presence of a hardcoded Data Encryption Standard key within the PrefDBCredentials class, which directly compromises the cryptographic protection mechanisms designed to secure superuser authentication data. The vulnerability falls under the category of weak cryptographic practices and hardcoded credentials, both of which are classified under CWE-327 and CWE-798 respectively, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on this management platform for device administration.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves a static 8-byte DES key embedded within the software code, which is used to encrypt superuser credentials stored in the database. When an attacker gains access to these encrypted credentials, they can leverage the publicly known hardcoded key to perform decryption operations without requiring additional authentication or access to legitimate administrative accounts. This weakness directly violates fundamental security principles of cryptographic key management, as the key is not generated dynamically or stored securely, but rather embedded within the application binary itself. The use of DES encryption with such a short key length creates an easily exploitable vector, as DES is inherently weak against modern cryptanalytic attacks, particularly when the key is known to attackers through reverse engineering or other means.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it provides attackers with unauthorized access to the administrative functions of the IGEL Universal Management Suite. This access enables malicious actors to manipulate device configurations, deploy unauthorized policies, and potentially escalate privileges within the managed environment. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the UMS serves as a central management platform for numerous devices, making successful exploitation a potential gateway for broader network compromise. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566 (Phishing) and T1078 (Valid Accounts) as attackers can leverage the decrypted credentials to establish persistent access, and T1528 (Steal Application Access Token) as the compromised administrative credentials can be used to access other systems and services that trust the UMS for authentication.
Organizations utilizing IGEL UMS 6.07.100 should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to the latest available version that addresses this hardcoded key issue, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the management suite, and conducting thorough credential audits to identify any potential compromise. The remediation process requires not only updating the software but also rotating all affected administrative credentials and implementing proper key management practices that adhere to industry standards such as NIST SP 800-57 for cryptographic key management. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect unusual access patterns or credential usage that might indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. The presence of such a hardcoded key demonstrates a fundamental failure in secure software development practices and highlights the importance of following secure coding guidelines that prevent the embedding of sensitive cryptographic material within application code.