CVE-2024-25653 in PAM Secret Server
Summary
by MITRE • 03/14/2024
Broken Access Control in the Report functionality of Delinea PAM Secret Server 11.4 allows unprivileged users, when Unlimited Admin Mode is enabled, to view system reports and modify custom reports via the Report functionality in the Web UI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-25653 represents a critical broken access control flaw within the Delinea PAM Secret Server version 11.4, specifically affecting the report functionality component. This issue arises when the Unlimited Admin Mode configuration is enabled, creating a significant security gap that allows unauthorized users to bypass normal access restrictions. The vulnerability exists in the web user interface of the secret management system, where users who should not possess administrative privileges can exploit the report module to access sensitive system information and manipulate custom report configurations. This represents a fundamental failure in the application's authorization mechanisms, as the system fails to properly validate user permissions before granting access to report-related functionalities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control checks within the report processing pipeline. When Unlimited Admin Mode is active, the system should maintain strict permission boundaries while still providing necessary administrative capabilities, but instead creates a scenario where basic users can leverage the report functionality to escalate their privileges. The flaw manifests when users interact with the web interface's report modules, where the application does not properly verify whether the requesting user has adequate authorization levels to view or modify system reports. This misconfiguration allows authenticated but unprivileged users to execute report-related operations that should only be available to administrators or users with specific elevated permissions. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in information security.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-25653 extends far beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables potential data exfiltration and system manipulation through the report functionality. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain insights into system configurations, user activities, and potentially sensitive data that would normally be restricted to authorized administrators. The ability to modify custom reports introduces additional risk, as malicious actors could alter report parameters to hide their activities or create false reporting data that could mislead security monitoring systems. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of the secret management environment, potentially compromising the security posture of organizations relying on Delinea PAM Secret Server for privileged access management. The threat landscape for this vulnerability includes both internal threat actors and external attackers who might exploit the misconfiguration to gain unauthorized access to critical system information and manipulate audit trails.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations that include disabling Unlimited Admin Mode if it is not essential for operations, as this configuration significantly increases the attack surface. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of the web interface to only trusted administrative networks. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar access control issues within the application. The implementation of proper role-based access controls and regular privilege reviews can help prevent unauthorized users from accessing sensitive reporting functionality. Additionally, organizations should monitor system logs for unusual report access patterns and implement automated alerting mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining proper access controls in privileged access management systems and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which addresses valid accounts and legitimate credentials as a means of gaining access to systems. Security teams should also consider implementing additional layers of protection such as web application firewalls and continuous monitoring solutions to detect and prevent exploitation attempts against similar access control vulnerabilities.