CVE-2023-4095 in Arconte Áurea
Summary
by MITRE • 09/19/2023
User enumeration vulnerability in Arconte Áurea 1.5.0.0 version. The exploitation of this vulnerability could allow an attacker to obtain a list of registered users in the application, obtaining the necessary information to perform more complex attacks on the platform.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2023
The CVE-2023-4095 vulnerability represents a critical user enumeration flaw discovered in Arconte Áurea version 1.5.0.0, exposing fundamental security weaknesses in the application's authentication and access control mechanisms. This vulnerability operates by allowing unauthorized actors to systematically identify valid user accounts through crafted requests that reveal whether specific usernames exist within the system. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and improper error handling during authentication processes, where the application provides different responses for valid versus invalid user attempts, inadvertently disclosing user account information to attackers. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-200, which addresses "Information Exposure," and specifically relates to CWE-620, "Unverified Password Reset," as the enumeration capability can be leveraged to prepare for subsequent credential-based attacks. From an operational security perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk surface that enables attackers to build comprehensive user directories, which can then be used for targeted phishing campaigns, credential stuffing attacks, or brute force attempts against identified accounts.
The technical implementation of this user enumeration vulnerability typically manifests through HTTP response differences when attempting authentication with various username inputs. When a valid username is submitted, the system may return a different error message, response time, or status code compared to when an invalid username is provided. Attackers can exploit this inconsistency by automating requests to test multiple username variations, gradually building a complete list of registered users. This behavior aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004, "Valid Accounts: Cloud Accounts," where enumeration serves as a precursor to establishing persistent access. The vulnerability affects the application's authentication flow and can be exploited through both direct API calls and web interface interactions, depending on the system's architecture. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as it provides attackers with a foundation for more sophisticated attacks including account takeover attempts, social engineering campaigns, and targeted exploitation of user-specific vulnerabilities within the application environment.
Organizations utilizing Arconte Áurea 1.5.0.0 must implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability, including implementing rate limiting mechanisms to prevent automated enumeration attempts and standardizing error responses regardless of account validity. The recommended approach involves configuring the authentication system to return consistent error messages for all authentication attempts, eliminating the differential feedback that enables enumeration. Security controls should include implementing account lockout mechanisms after a specified number of failed authentication attempts, which helps prevent brute force enumeration attacks. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing CAPTCHA systems or other anti-automation measures to further protect against automated user enumeration. The mitigation strategy should align with NIST SP 800-63B guidelines for authentication and access control, specifically addressing the need for consistent error handling and protection against timing attacks. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that the implemented controls effectively prevent user enumeration and that no similar vulnerabilities exist within the application's authentication framework.