CVE-2022-37145 in PlexTrac
Summary
by MITRE • 09/08/2022
The PlexTrac platform prior to version 1.17.0 does not restrict excessive authentication attempts for accounts configured to use the PlexTrac authentication provider. An unauthenticated remote attacker could perform a bruteforce attack on the login page with no time or attempt limitation in an attempt to obtain valid credentials for the platform users configured to use the PlexTrac authentication provider.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/14/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-37145 affects the PlexTrac platform version 1.17.0 and earlier, representing a critical weakness in the authentication mechanism that directly impacts the security posture of organizations relying on this platform for cybersecurity operations and incident response management. This flaw specifically targets accounts configured to utilize the PlexTrac authentication provider, creating an exploitable pathway for unauthorized access attempts that could compromise the entire platform's user base.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of rate limiting and authentication attempt restrictions within the login interface. The platform fails to implement any form of account lockout mechanisms, time-based delays, or maximum attempt thresholds that would normally prevent automated brute force attacks from succeeding. This allows an attacker to rapidly submit multiple login attempts without facing any defensive measures, making credential stuffing and password guessing attacks extremely effective against the targeted user accounts. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-307, which addresses improper restriction of repeated authentication attempts, and represents a fundamental failure in implementing basic authentication security controls.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations using PlexTrac for their cybersecurity operations, as successful exploitation could lead to complete unauthorized access to sensitive incident response data, threat intelligence, and operational security information. The attack surface is particularly concerning because the platform serves as a central hub for security operations, making successful exploitation equivalent to gaining access to an organization's core security infrastructure. Attackers could potentially compromise multiple user accounts simultaneously, leading to data breaches, unauthorized access to security tools, and potential lateral movement within the organization's network. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1110.003, which covers credential stuffing attacks, and T1110.001 for unauthorized access through brute force methods.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including deploying rate limiting mechanisms at the application level, implementing account lockout policies after a specified number of failed authentication attempts, and configuring time-based delays between login attempts. Network-level protections such as firewall rules and intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor and block suspicious authentication traffic patterns. Additionally, organizations should enforce strong password policies, implement multi-factor authentication for all accounts, and conduct regular security audits to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across their infrastructure. The fix requires updating to PlexTrac version 1.17.0 or later, which includes proper authentication attempt restrictions and rate limiting mechanisms. Security teams should also consider implementing automated monitoring solutions to detect and respond to brute force attack patterns in real-time, as well as establishing incident response procedures specifically for authentication-related security events to minimize potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.