CVE-2024-47808 in SINEC NMS
Summary
by MITRE • 11/12/2024
A vulnerability has been identified in SINEC NMS (All versions < V3.0 SP1). The affected application contains a database function, that does not properly restrict the permissions of users to write to the filesystem of the host system. This could allow an authenticated medium-privileged attacker to write arbitrary content to any location in the filesystem of the host system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2024
The vulnerability identified in SINEC NMS presents a critical authorization flaw that undermines the security boundaries of the affected system. This issue specifically targets the database function implementation within the network management software, where proper access controls have been omitted or incorrectly configured. The flaw exists across all versions prior to V3.0 SP1, indicating a persistent design weakness that has remained unaddressed for an extended period. Organizations utilizing this network management solution face significant risk as the vulnerability affects the fundamental security model of the application.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and permission enforcement mechanisms within the database function. When an authenticated user interacts with the system, the function fails to properly validate or restrict file system write operations, allowing malicious actors to bypass normal access controls. This permission bypass enables attackers to write arbitrary content to any location within the host system's file structure, effectively granting them unrestricted write access to the underlying operating system. The medium-privileged attacker profile suggests that the vulnerability does not require administrative credentials but rather leverages existing user authentication to escalate privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching, potentially enabling complete system compromise. An attacker with medium privileges could exploit this flaw to install malicious software, modify critical system files, or establish persistence mechanisms within the host environment. The ability to write to any filesystem location creates opportunities for privilege escalation, data exfiltration, or system disruption. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive organizational data, system corruption, or complete system takeover depending on the attacker's objectives and the system's configuration.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including upgrading to SINEC NMS version 3.0 SP1 or later, which contains the necessary security patches. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious file system activity, particularly around the affected database functions. Access controls should be reviewed and strengthened to limit user privileges where possible. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper permissions and access control issues, and represents a clear violation of the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques. Security teams should conduct thorough assessments of their network management infrastructure to identify any other systems potentially vulnerable to similar authorization flaws.