CVE-2025-48015 in SEL-5056 Software-Defined Network Flow Controller
Summary
by MITRE • 05/20/2025
Failed login response could be different depending on whether the username was local or central.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/20/2025
This vulnerability manifests in authentication systems where the response behavior varies based on whether a username exists locally within the system or is validated against a central authentication server. The inconsistency in failed login responses creates a potential information disclosure risk that can be exploited by attackers to perform user enumeration attacks. When a user attempts to authenticate with a non-existent local username, the system may return a different error message or response timing compared to when a non-existent central username is provided. This differential response pattern allows malicious actors to determine whether a particular username exists within the local system versus being managed through a centralized authentication service.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate uniformity in authentication error handling across different authentication pathways within the system architecture. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-200 Information Exposure, specifically related to information leakage through error messages that reveal system state information. The inconsistency in response handling creates a side-channel attack vector where attackers can infer system structure and user account existence patterns. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where local and central authentication systems coexist, as it provides attackers with information about the underlying authentication infrastructure design and potentially exposes the existence of local accounts that might not be intended to be publicly known.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can facilitate more sophisticated attack vectors including account enumeration, credential stuffing, and targeted brute force attacks. Attackers can systematically test usernames to determine which ones exist locally versus those that are managed centrally, thereby narrowing down their attack surface and increasing the effectiveness of subsequent authentication attempts. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in multi-tenant environments or systems where local accounts may contain sensitive information or have different privilege levels compared to centrally managed accounts. The timing variations in response handling can also provide additional clues to attackers about the system's internal state and authentication flow.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing consistent error handling across all authentication pathways to ensure that failed login attempts return identical responses regardless of whether the username exists locally or in a central system. This approach aligns with the principle of least information disclosure and helps prevent side-channel attacks. Organizations should implement randomized response delays to eliminate timing-based information leakage and ensure that all authentication systems return uniform error messages. Security controls should include regular auditing of authentication response patterns and implementing rate limiting to prevent automated enumeration attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing unified authentication interfaces that abstract the underlying authentication mechanisms to prevent such inconsistencies from occurring in the first place. The solution should also incorporate monitoring for unusual authentication patterns that might indicate enumeration attempts, as outlined in the attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1078 Account Manipulation and T1110 Credential Access.